Sha-La Music announces the worldwide release of the new Mystic Highway Road Trip EP by US Roots Rocker DownTown Mystic, set to drop on July 10, 2026, via The Orchard/Sony Music. The EP, timed for summer road trips, features six modern rockers filled with positive energy, including tracks like "Live" featuring harmonica player Jerry Fierro and "Losing My Mind" with guitar virtuoso Lance Doss.
The EP reunites the rhythm section of drummer Steve Holley (Paul McCartney, Elton John) and bassist Paul Page (Ian Hunter, Dion), who played on last year's Mystic Highway EP. It also includes a previously unreleased unedited version of "Somebody's Always Doin' Something 2 Somebody (Uncut Mix)," featuring keyboardist Jeff Levine on piano and B-3 organ. That track was originally released as a single last fall.
The concept for the Mystic Highway Road Trip EP was inspired by reviewers who described DownTown Mystic's music as a great soundtrack for a road trip. Writer/producer Robert Allen, the force behind DownTown Mystic, noted, "There are so many talented reviewers out there who write with such cool insights that it blows my mind. I kept seeing reviews saying that Mystic Highway was a great soundtrack for a road trip, which I never thought about. It got me thinking, why not a summer road trip release?"
The EP was recorded at Shorefire Studios in West Long Branch, New Jersey, under engineer Joe DeMaio, who also contributed guitar solos on "Superstar" and "Shadow Walk." Mastering was handled by Leon Zervos (Crowded House, Maroon 5, Pink) at Studios 301 in Australia, adding a sonic boost to the tracks.
DownTown Mystic follows the success of the On E Street Remix EP, which featured Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Max Weinberg and Garry Tallent from the E Street Band. That EP, released in April, remixed songs from the 1980s recorded alongside Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA album. The remixes modernized the tracks while preserving their historic element. Allen commented, "Even though the remixes were of older material, the reviewers pointed out that I'm making rock music for today."
With music placed in over 250 TV shows and films, DownTown Mystic remains a top sync-licensed artist in rock. The new EP continues a prolific streak following The Wish and Mystic Highway in 2025, and the On E Street Remix in early 2026. Critics have praised the band's ability to evolve rock tradition. The Big Takeover noted, "It's the sound of rock-and-roll tradition moving with the times." JamSphere Magazine highlighted the "infectious unmistakable vibe, wrapped up with ace musicianship." Rattler Magazine emphasized that the EP reaffirms what makes the genre endure: "strong songwriting, human rhythm, and a refusal to overproduce the soul out of the music."
Listen to Mystic Highway Road Trip at https://tinyurl.com/525mrh6d. More information about DownTown Mystic is available at https://downtownmystic.net.
