Ohio's genre-blurring duo
Twenty One Pilots team up with Emotional Roadshow tourmates
MUTEMATH on
TOPxMM (aka "The MUTEMATH Sessions"). On this EP, five
Twenty One Pilots tracks are reinterpreted with
MUTEMATH's
Vitals-era sonic switch toward atmospheric electronic shimmer. However slight, these new versions strip away some of the polished album production of the originals and showcase
Twenty One Pilots' frontman
Tyler Joseph's songwriting prowess and vocal ability. Drummer
Josh Dun also has a chance to shine with a couple extended drum breaks and jams with the New Orleans quartet. Despite the addition of so many extra musicians to the
Twenty One Pilots formula,
TOPxMM ends up being more restrained than anything on
Blurryface. "Ride" sparkles with
MUTEMATH's hypnotic synths, infusing the island-tinged hit with an '80s nocturnal flair. "Tear in My Heart" benefits from a funky Motown spin -- more buoyant than the original -- resulting in a sound similar to
Fitz & the Tantrums colliding with
the Killers.
Blurryface cuts "Heavydirtysoul" and "Lane Boy" feature exhilarating breakdowns between
Dun and
MUTEMATH, the latter of which closes the EP in frenzied fashion. The only non-LP song that appears on
TOPxMM is the
Suicide Squad soundtrack hit "Heathens," which is transformed into a haunting and ethereal silhouette of the original. Free of stage gimmicks and studio tricks,
TOPxMM reveals that
Twenty One Pilots can also excel at control and gravitas with a little help from their friends. ~ Neil Z. Yeung