Rebeca Bernat: ‘Calling All The Monsters’ – China Anne McClain (2011 version)

This masterpiece is one for the ages, especially if you were a Disney kid growing up. When this song came out, I was 10 years old. Now, at 20, I can confirm it is still an absolute banger. Even though this was a Halloween song, I listen to it all year round. It is upbeat, happy, pop track intended for a younger demographic, but it somehow manages to remain appealing to me to this day. It is a song that invokes a lot of nostalgia for those of us who were acquainted with China Anne McClain from shows like A.N.T Farm. The lyrics are far from scary as they state that ‘tonight all the monsters gonna dance’, with the singularly spine-chilling lyric being ‘they’re coming to get ya’ (in order to make you dance). The entire premise of the music video revolves around China ‘calling all the monsters’ to join her at a haunted house and throw a party. Again, not particularly scary, but it certainly sets the mood for a Halloween party. The Disney star recently released a remake of the hit song, accompanied by her sisters Lauryn and Sierra McClain under the group stage name Thriii. I personally prefer the original version, but the recent one, released at the beginning of October, has some new elements like a feature by Messenger that distinguish it from the original, but it still retains the nostalgic feelings that makes this song one of my all-time favourite Halloween tunes.

Bas Bevan: ‘Ghoster’ – Wolf Alice

When it comes to my favourite Halloween song, although I am a massive fan of all of the classics and party anthems, it is hard to look past one from one of my favourite bands. ‘Ghoster’ was Wolf Alice’s contribution to the soundtrack for the 2016 remake of Ghostbusters and it puts on display the band’s ability to perfect the feel of a track.  The intro, chorus and ending of the song feature a heavily distorted and saturated guitar with a high-pitched drone in the background as well occasional feedback which Wolf Alice have used artistically throughout many of their songs which creates an uncomfortable mood. The verses perfectly harness the haunting quality of Ellie Rowsell’s voice which hangs on and echoes, thanks to the thick reverb. It is also accompanied by electronic drums and a descending synth which adds to the scary feel. The soaring chorus is heavy, confident and features a great melody. Like all of the great Halloween songs (especially ones made for films), ‘Ghoster’ does not take itself too seriously so the slightly cheesy lyrics and relatively predictable sound and structure can be forgiven. This can even be seen as a testament to the band’s creative ability as they not only capture the sound of Halloween, but also its fun and clichéd atmosphere. ‘Ghoster’ encompasses all the elements of a typical Halloween song, but Wolf Alice’s modern creativity means it avoids sounding recycled making it a perfect track for the spooky season.

Lorcan Drury: TURN OFF THE LIGHT  – Kim Petras

TURN OFF THE LIGHT has undoubtedly been my most played album every October since the first half of the album, TURN OFF THE LIFE VOL. 1, was released in 2019. The album is a back-to-back horror fest filled with hyper-pop club bangers bound to make any monster move and groove. The songs are undeniably Petras-esque with her signature vocal riff ‘woo-ah’ woven into several tracks and heavy use of auto-tune. My favourite track of the album, ‘Close Your Eyes’, conjures up an image of Petras transforming into a terrifying monster and unleashing her true form. The bridge is particularly effective: the slow increase in volume and then the sudden belt of the line ‘I feel it coming on’ solidifies how spine-tingling and addictive the track is.  The title track even features a spoken word verse from the queen of Halloween herself Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. It is classic Elvira – chilling yet campy. Her feature is the perfect way to pay homage to how important Elvira has been to popularising goth culture. It is also quite rare for an album to have so many interludes that actually augment the listening experience. Tracks like ‘Purgatory’, ‘<demons>’ and ‘o m e n’ serve as breathers from the extremely gory and ghoulish lyrics and as a chance to enjoy dancing to funky, yet Frankensteinish, beats. Finally, the album ends with the heartbreaking hyper-pop ballad ‘Everybody Dies’. It’s a pledge that Petras has, as always will, live each day like it is her last. I love the unapologetically conceited line ‘So give me all my roses while I’m here’ which suggests how she wants to receive praise now, instead of being congratulated posthumously. However, the song does more than just proclaim her ‘live fast, die young’ attitude. The lyric ‘never was who I was supposed to be’ touches on how she has endured transphobic comments. Overall, the album is a thrilling experience and definitely gets a five out of five skull rating.

Hannah Vernon: ‘Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met)’ – Panic! at the Disco

Perhaps this is not your typical Halloween themed scare-fest, however it deserves an honourable seasonal mention on account of the haunting melancholy it so eerily describes. ‘Wood floors, they creak’ beneath the footsteps of characters trick-or-treating before they reap the souls of the departed. Panic! at the Disco’s frontman – and, arguably, only present member – reaps a different kind of soul: a lost love regrettably unattained, and thus haunting him like a lingering shot of perfume. The first two verses properly delve into this haunting imagery rather explicitly. ‘Ramshackle heads’ abound, ‘sunken in their splintered cradles’, reminding one very much so of the Halloween decoration aisles in any large supermarket from roughly mid-August onwards. Plastic skulls and gauzy cobwebs haunt shoppers in terrifying numbers. Unfulfilled love reeks of the most bitter poison, and it appears that Brendon Urie would rather brave ‘the slumbering apparitions’ of Halloween-tide than face his ‘one regret’. The lyrics are an ideal starting point for unearthing the macabre tones of the song. Immediately prior to the chorus, we learn that love without gratification, love lingering in regret, can be as haunting as a ghost. This is perhaps exacerbated by the audible sound of a wooden floor creaking when the relevant lines are sung. Such is a compelling addition because, in delving further into this realm of spooky semantics, Urie’s audience are reminded of the lingering presence of his lover, insubstantial as a spirit and yet powerful enough to make the floorboards creak with regret.

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