Every year, Christmas starts getting pushed on us earlier and earlier. Even before Halloween has happened, you can find Christmas decorations in almost any department store.
Well, if Christmas can come early, I think it’s only fair that Halloween stay late. In honor of the year’s spookiest holiday, here’s five songs I like to listen to whenever Halloween comes around. Some are fun, some are freaky, and all of them will have the person who handed you the aux cord at the Halloween party question why they invited you. Alternatively, play these songs at a Christmas party if you really want to live on the edge.
“If I Had a Heart” by Fever Ray
A perfect song to start the party in the most ominous way possible, “If I Had a Heart” is built off of a single chord loop and layered, pitch-shifted vocals. It’s more about the vibe than anything else, but it’s a vibe that screams “I’m in trouble.” Perfect for the post-Halloween season!
“Nothing is Safe” by Clipping.
Here’s a fun activity. Any time you see Daveed Diggs in a movie or on the “Hamilton” soundtrack, imagine whichever character he’s playing is rapping about watching people be murdered in front of him. Yes, Daveed Diggs himself has been the rapper for an experimental horrorcore hip-hop trio for longer than he’s been a famous actor. And his band, “Clipping,” made the quintessential spooky banger about murder in “Nothing is Safe.”
“This Is How I Disappear” by My Chemical Romance
The recent critical re-evaluation of My Chemical Romance makes my inner 14-year-old extremely happy. Finally, we can all listen to Gerard Way scream about seances over absolutely sick guitars with no social pressure to feel ashamed. That final build in the song’s bridge with its blistering riffs and dissonant vocal harmonies is enough to keep you in the Halloween spirit well into December.
“Christ” by Moodie Black
Another song that’s more about the vibes than any specific lyrical content, “Christ” is an abstract noise-rap song with one of the most apocalyptic beats I’ve ever heard. Rapper K. Death uses her low register to sound like a horror movie villain through the duration, adding to the feeling that she’s threatening you specifically.
“Guest House” by Daughters
Finally, “Guest House” might possibly be the most fitting song on this whole list. The lyrics, instrumental and manic vocal delivery all give the impression that you’re being shown a full horror movie in song form. Shrill guitars immediately blast out a dissonant riff, while lead singer Alexis Marshall takes on the character of a killer screaming to be let into your home. His terrifying spoken-word delivery syncs up with a constantly building instrumental, complete with horns and pounding drums, until a chilling end where the loudness of the track gives way to weeping strings and ambiance. It’s like the end of a movie where the evil has been defeated, but the fear still lingers.
So, don’t let Halloween die on Oct. 31. Show up to a company Christmas party listening to “Guest House” to really show your coworkers who’s boss. If anything, just please don’t put up your Christmas decorations yet.
