Check out Part One of my Hallowe'en Playlist here
More spooky treats for your ghoulish entertainment...
- Bruno Alexander ~ Vampire Bites: Bruno provides a performance that adds depth and texture to the music, his nuanced voice at times as tentative and terrified as a Scream Queen then as surging and powerful as a newly sired vamp. He matches the narrative thrust of the song perfectly, guiding you through the misty dark woodlands that inspire fear and trepidation during the verses where those aforementioned shuddering effects give the aural illusion that something nasty is right behind you yet remains just outside the corner of your eye. The unrelenting pulsing of the bassline mirrors the beating of your very heart as you get drawn inexorably to the triumphant chorus. Everything erupts into a explosive acceptance of destiny and it's all so freeing and thrillifying that you find yourself pumping your fist to the sky with a giddy glee that you know is wrong but feels oh so right and satisfying.
- Rozalla ~ Shadows Of The Moon: A blistering pop song that weaves a scintillating beat alongside synth-drenched keyboard riffs (and adds in gloriously bewitching electro effects that feel like they've been conjured up from guttural forces that only those in touch with Mother Nature understand). At the helm of these intoxicating rhythms stands Rozalla as a woman bereft by a lost love which draws out of her an impassioned vocal, strong enough to stir up your own memories of the lovers who have passed through your life. There's a wistful elegance to her voice as she clings to the memories, a sensual yearning as these memories become more tangible (most notably in the chorus where she is woman and you are going to jolly well hear her roar). Meanwhile, that beguiling instrumental score is designed to make you feel bothered and bewildered at the same time as commanding you to sway your body to it's alluring grooves. It all coalesces into an urgent, throbbing collision of emotions that will leave you exhilarated yet aching for more.
- Jack Pack ~ I Put A Spell On You: Grab your jack (pack) o' lanterns because just in time for All Hallows Eve Jack Pack have turned the indelible classic into a beguiling and bewitching treat for the ears. It begins with an almost gentle seduction, luring you into the song with a hushed instrumental and alluring vocals all designed to lull you into a false sense of security. As you guard drops and you let the evocative music wash over you, the song begins an all-conquering crescendo and this dazzling performance becomes the most delicious trick. Crashing percussion and compelling horns combine with a truly impassioned vocal that is more magical than anything conjured up at Hogwarts. The final moments with those long held notes are spine-tingling, sensational majesty that will surely crumble any last ounce of tentative resistance you felt ;)
- Erasure ~ Dead Of The Night: The music itself is a dark disco opus that brings a relentless invasion of the senses in the best possible way. Dominant beats combined with studio 54 finger clicking grooves set an ominous backdrop for Andy to propel the melody forward with his distinctive, impassioned vocal. It's a stirring and spellbinding song that works brilliantly in the new spooky visual setting it's been given. And let's face it - that chorus is still one of the most spinetingling thrills you'll experience all the live long year, not just the night of trick and treats...
- SIRPAUL ~ Kiss Me Kill Me: From the opening sounds of police sirens to the intoxicating beats, SIRPAUL has never sounded more intense and fervent as the line between love and hate blurs in spectacular fashion on his new single (from the movie of the same name). There's nothing more terrifying and thrilling than the ferocity of those emotions combining and that is brilliantly mirrored through the galloping tempo which somehow conjures up images of running for your life (both to and from your lover); meanwhile SIRPAUL quickens your heartbeat with a vocal that is both seductive and threatening all at once. It's an entire song of juxtapositions designed to obfuscate and bewilder - which it absolutely does - but the end result is nothing less than hypnotic and bewitching.
- Scarlett and Disher ~ He Will Kill Again: You'll probably want to check out the soundtrack to Nightmare House that the amazing Scarlett and Disher have contributed to. Alongside Mark Lenover (who wrote this inveigling track), they've crafted songs with lyrics that tap into your darkest fears, cloaked in music that evokes shivers down the spine with it's dark-synth rhapsody. There's nothing subvert about He Will Kill Again yet, somehow, it has you glancing over your shoulder and seeing non-existent shapes in the corner of your eye. There is perhaps inspiration from the Abba song, The Visitors, which also delivers heart thumping terror - the vocals here have just the right level of trepidation whilst the eerie synth is as creepy as a dark mist rolling in across the moors. It's all exquisitely done (as is the whole album) - the most scary thing about it is that the movie Nightmare House doesn't actually exist. Still, don't expect to be sleeping soundly once you've listened to this ;) I recommend That Christmas Feeling as the perfect antidote!
- Abba - The Visitors: Talking of that Abba song, why not include it here? It's an absolute sonic soundscape - all paranoia and power mixed into one amazing tune that sounds as fresh today as it did over 30 years ago. It builds up slowly and that works incredibly well in having this growing nu-wave meets synth fusion pulsate as the lyrics delve into the themes of fear and panic. The vocal performance is of course flawless, aided by the fact that you can almost literally hear the terror in Anni-Frid's voice. Should've been an incredible first single but ended up as an incredible start to their final album.
- In The Stairs ~ Hallowe'en Mash Up: I don't know much about this French duo other than I absolutely love them and think the guy is as cute as a button. Their Hallowe'en Mash Up isn't particularly spooky but it IS a throwback to simpler times when costumes didn't have to be about showing a lot of skin. If they came knocking on my door, trick or treating with this addictive medley of pop songs, I'd definitely be handing out the good candy. Their make up and costumes are flawless and it's all so thoroughly enjoyable that you'll forget about the horrors outside your door and hide In The Stairs with these two instead. And while you are hiding away from the twilight zone, you'll have all evening to check out their other videos. Old Hollywood is an instant modern day classic :D
- Sally Anne Marsh ~ Windmills Of My Mind: It's not a Hallowe'en song per se but there's always been something quietly haunting about this introspective narrative. Sally Anne ups the tempo but loses none of the genuine melancholy (particularly thanks to those spooky strings and her gothic-esque video). That melody is as alluring and beguiling as a siren's call and even the addition of a rhythmic drum beat just adds to the hypnotic nature of the music. You'll soon be swaying along like barren trees in the breeze of a cloudy, moonless night. Let it conjure up images for you as you bask in this marvelous recreation of such an indelible standard.
- Siobhan Donaghy ~ Ghosts: Siobhan embraces new age influences to traverse into the netherworlds on her song Ghosts. It's a lyrical treat as Siobhan's captivating vocal style feels like she's casting a musical spell that's going to be all too hard to break free from. All these years later and her music still has the power to stop you in your tracks and listen in rapt attention. Now is there anything more magic than that?
- Big Black Delta ft Debbie Gibson ~ RCVR: It's not designed to be a song for Hallowe'en but most of us will (sadly) know that there is nothing more horrible and soul destroying than apathy and silence in a relationship. Sombre 80s inspired synths provide the perfect setting for Debbie and BBD to deconstruct the relationship but it's that middle 8 that really brings home the scares of what is happening. It's as if goblins, ghouls and perhaps Kodos & Kang have been let loose at the mixing desk as a bewildering yet brilliant array of synth loops assault the senses, perfectly mirroring the confusing nature of modern day relationships. It's a genius moment that makes this song essential for Hallowe'en (but also perfect all year round. Sneak peek - it's so far one of my top five songs of 2015)...
- Madonna ~ Supernatural: I am chagrined and ashamed that I haven't put this song on a Hallowe'en playlist before now. B-side to the far more perky Cherish back in 1989 it's a saucy tale of Madonna getting back into the groove with a departed lover who is now giving her the good ghost love she was apparently craving. It's cheeky and tongue in cheek with a soundtrack that brings in spooky synth sounds, as if you were walking through a haunted house while listening to it. I like that, apparently, the afterlife gives you new found prowess in the boudoir as well as making you quite the considerate lover. Bonus. Madonna - death beCOMES her.
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