The spooky season is in full swing, and we here at Radio UTD are all for embracing the spooktacular fall vibes. We here at the station have brought together some of our favorite late-October-time albums for you, and we hope they terrify, mortify, and/or stupidfy you. Or, at the very least, are a fun listen this spooky season.
Dead Man’s Bones, Dead Man’s Bones
Olivia Foster – Editor
This isn’t the first time I’ve raved about Ryan Gosling and Zach Shield’s dark folk-rock duo, Dead Man’s Bones, and it certainly won’t be the last. If you’re a fan of indie music, monsters, and the macabre, then this mix of Echo and the Bunnymen, the Blasting Company, and the Dan Zanes—plus a hauntingly chilling children’s choir—then look no further. This is the album for you. It’s darkly romantic and entirely eerie, with slow songs that feel like sinking beneath the surface of an inky black lake, and high-paced heart-thumpers that make you feel as if you’re running from something that lurks in the room where you sleep. If you enjoy star-crossed romances and/or La La Land, and maybe Over the Garden Wall, then this is the perfect Halloween album for you.
Kim Petras, Turn Off The Light, Vol. 1 EP
Maizie Croom – Station Manager
It is hard to overstate the impact that Kim Petras had on my Halloween party playlists when she dropped Turn Off The Lights Vol. 1. In fact, to me, Halloween music should only be understood in pre-Petras and post-Petras terms. In 2018, the German singer dedicated her first extended piece of music—she had previously only released individual singles—to filling the large void of spooky electronic pop music. A little more monster rave than monster mash, the EP is full of bouncy (unfortunately Dr. Luke produced) Halloween songs that invite listeners to embrace their fears, turn off the lights and dance. A couple of years later, Petras would release a full-length album follow-up to Turn Off The Lights, but real Halloween music heads can still appreciate the novel charm of this first spooktacular EP.
Slint, Spiderland
Caleb Jenkins – Programming Director
The story goes that frontman Brian McMahan’s little brother gave the album its name after dubbing its sound “spidery.” Whether it’s the innocent romance with a sinister twist in “Breadcrumb Trail” or the aggressive, obliquely gothic screeching of guitars in “Nosferatu Man”; the slow, creeping buildup in “Don, Aman” or the mournful, haunting balladry of “Washer”; or, the menacingly beautiful instrumental dirge in “For Dinner” or the epic conclusion that combines maritime horror with mathematically precise dissonance in “Good Morning, Captain,” Spiderland by Slint is a tribute to everything that creeps and crawls—and a reminder that even spiders have feelings.
Pearly Drops, Call For Help
Gavin Vallee – Blog Writer
Pearly Drops, a Finnish pop duo debuting their project Call For Help about four years ago, bands together to create their distinct sound of darkening enchantment. The duo uses ghastly sound effects to flip dreamy pop into what I call nightmare pop. The grisly feedback loops and eerie voice pairs together to form an excellent night-time album. There’s no better way to introduce the feelings of chilling fall to winter than with the dissonant tones adapted to represent a gloomy yet chimerical view of the world. Tracks I take note of are 1, 2, 3, and especially the last track, “Nightmare Screen,” where they purpose all the combined musical elements bestowing a devious representation of Halloween fear.
45 Grave, Sleep in Safety
Kristina Vazquez – Station DJ
Although not as popular as other rock bands of the eighties, 45 Grave are considered a cult classic by current fans of goth and new wave. Full of haunting vocals and thrilling instrumentals, Sleep in Safety will place you in the middle of a vampiric house party circa 1985. It’s a favorite of mine because of how nicely it plays with the thin lines between death rock, goth, and new wave, creating a unique, spooky sound that few bands have come close to achieving. Some of the songs, such as “School’s Out” or “Surf Bat,” even have hints of surf rock influences (which makes sense considering 45 Grave came straight out of California). Overall, Sleep in Safety still holds up forty years later and is a must for any spooky playlist you’re making just in time for Halloween.
Yuno Miles, Trick Or Treat
Marco Frescas – Systems Administrator
When it comes to music, Yuno Miles does it like no other. The landscape would have looked entirely different if Yuno Miles had not entered the music industry. His vocal range allows him to create harmonies previously unheard of. Every track he releases continues to subvert my expectations every single time, and this EP was no exception. Trick or Treat features thought-provoking classics such as “Michael Myers,” which warns listeners about the impending threat of Michael Myers with a kitchen knife. Do not be mistaken, however. Every song stands in a similar league to “Michael Myers,” and this EP is best enjoyed when listened to on the way to your nearest Red Robin and is sure to spook both of your socks off.
BABii, DareDevil2000
Nicole Cruz – Blog Writer
DareDevil2000, the sixth album by BABii, released on October 11, 2024, combines intense bass, eerie soundscape, and an edgy yet feminine touch. Known for exploring dark, unconventional themes, BABii adopts a villainous persona, creating an otherworldly experience with collaborations from Iglooghost, Warpstr, and Pholo. Standout tracks like “Back Rooms at 8:55pm” and “The Law of Club & Fang” highlight her haunting vocals and unexpected beats, perfect for the spooky season. With DareDevil2000, BABii attracts and captivates listeners, taking them to a mysterious realm that’s both sinister and enchanting.
JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown, SCARING THE HOES
Ivana Kiage – DJ Trainee
SCARING THE HOES is a joint album by JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown. The two artists, trailblazers on the edge of hip-hop and experimental rap, created in 2023 what will considerably scare away the hoes this Halloween season. From sonic samples and instrumentation produced and primarily engineered by JPEGMAFIA, there are a lot of colorfully fluctuating ideas that the two find through sound and lyrical content that also can turn dark. Whether it is just the track titles, with songs like “Lean Beef Patty” and “Jack Harlow Combo Meal,” or beautiful samples such as in the song “Kingdom Hearts Key,” this album is musically intriguing, but also is humorous and deadpan serious about two people expressing Black boy joy.
Danny Brown is a native Detroit hip-hop artist, who used rapping and artistry to better his life after completing drug-related sentences. JPEGMAFIA, having grown up in the South, served an honorary discharge in the Air Force after he called out his superiors for abuse, and returned home to the US to use become a prominent producer.
The struggles of becoming your environment are truly a scare when you are a minority living and breathing in situations that are meant for you to suffer as intended, and these two artists live to speak on their joys but also hate for their childhood and younger years experiences and systematic injustice in America.
Despite various controversies surrounding politically-charged messages, including a track involving shooting a police officer, both JPEGMAFIA (often nicknamed Peggy) and Danny Brown have been able to successfully break into the industry and build die-hard fanbases, even though mainstream attention has made the relation of the music to a rather white fanbase. Through 90s anime samples and WWE openings, the two create in this project an eclectic mix of joyful tunes and dark truths. JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown are the ultimate epitome of the scary season.
Looking for more spooky recs from Radio UTD? Look no further—here’s our station’s 2024 spooky playlist, curated by our DJs for all kinds of listeners. We hope you enjoy!
