This is the spookiest time of year: a time for horror, dread, thrill, and a time for all the creepiest creatures to thrive. Halloween doesn't seem to get a signature music other than rock music, and I wanted to present a different perspective to the scariest holiday of the year. These are some pieces I feel thrive in a dimly lit environment of darkness. I have been curating this playlist over many years. adding a wide variety of genres and eras to this list. Lyrics, beats, and melody which can make you feel like somebody is looking over your shoulder is very powerful. I admire artistry that can evoke a strong reaction like this. It's more fun to have an upbeat dance song when dressed in your costume. Both are necessary to a good holiday. The following is a mix of both vibes. Have a creepy sweet Halloween and enjoy! Cake - 88GLAM This is a rap group I am a huge fan of. I love the entire album this song comes from. Something that makes them special is their textured vocal sounds. Even as good as they are, their beats - and particularly in this song "Cake" - are enchanting. Part of the flavor of this song is the piano keys. It adds a mystical twinkle. But, combined with the haunting chorus consistent throughout the background of the song, it comes off as ominous. It's like a ballerina winding in her jewelry box, but you know something is going to happen when the song stops. This one may or may not be a party bop, but it gets me in a spooky mood. True Blood - Justin Timberlake Do you remember when the TV show True Blood was really popular? It feels like this song was made with that show in mind. I never watched the show, but I feel like I did from the secondhand exposure. This song has a sassy dance beat, clever lyrics, and is extremely long. Why is this song nine and a half minutes long? The beginning is bangin', and the rest is good too, but the problem is that it goes on for such a long time, I feel weary by the end of it. This song is like he's invited you on a roller coaster ride which, when you boarded, you were excited for. But now, you're halfway through and wishing you could get off the ride, but you can't because you're invested already, so there's no turning back. This song only has around 16,000 views on YouTube and 9,300,000 plays on Spotify which is somewhat unusual seeing as his songs may have hundred of millions of plays. It's one of the underrated gems. Drop - Chloe x Halle "Drop" made me want to drop like the hard hitting drum that is the backbone behind this song. It's power, knowledge, and mystery intertwined to establish a sick track. Not only that, but the visuals are stunning for this video. There is a man who is dancing in grotesque shapes, looking crooked and writhing. That is a perfect representation of how this song sounds. That combines with their voices rising in the most perfect harmony is chilling. I would pick this song to listen to while carving pumpkins or maybe brewing some delicious drinks. So many spooktacular options. Human - Maggie Lindeman If there was a song that embodied an October Halloween party bop, I vote this song. It is a pop bop, and this genre is meant to be fun. This is useful to get a group of people excited and feeling upbeat. The video and lyrics create a very spooky mood. I like that she suggests she is not human because it makes you wonder what she is then. Is she vampire? Werewolf? Alien? I have so many questions. Also I appreciate the appearance of one of my favorite guys in entertainment comedy, Rickey Thompson (who also narrated Amine's album "ONEPOINTFIVE"). Zombies - Childish Gambino Our fav abstract creator has made us a creepy, slinky slippery song that you definitely want to groove to. So groove to a funkalicious beat. Not only that, but Zombies is a very literal interpretation here. Sometimes, it is okay to take things at face value. The beat is relaxing and makes me want take a bubble bath but also watch "Austin Powers" - so many vibes. I may not play it at a party to turn up to, but definitely would play it at other lowkey social gatherings. Once Upon A Dream - Lana Del Rey If anyone can haunt me, Lana Del Rey is the most qualified being. Her whole brand is founded in chanting deeply haunting tones. It seems that she sings through smoke, has you squinting through fog, and hunting after her shadow. To me, this is the ultimate Halloween song to keep you feeling sensual, spooky, and empowered. Disney Princesses are always a popular costume for dressing up on this holiday, so it seems fitting that this is a Disney production. I find it even more satisfying that this movie (Maleficent) is about a categorized villain. People love dressing up as the bad guy. Here we have the perfect song to enjoy while we do so. Oldies of Honorable Mention There are some absolutely phenomenal songs that deserve to sit in the top spot in regards to Halloween jams. The performance by Screamin' Jay Hawkins is interesting but very peculiar! His shouting and animal style grunts with snorts makes me think of demonic sounds. It's aggressive and bold. This song has been covered so many times by many that most people would probably recognize it. However, this version is so special and unique. Tom Waits had his music making days back in the 1970's, but this song in particular came out in 2011, so not very old. I feel that his style and influences came from an older generation, and in some ways similar to Screamin' Jay. Tones of tension and devilish allure draw you through the song.
Here we go again with the creepy suggestive tones, but the The Coasters have hit it on the head with this track, making the listener feel paranoid and watchful. Quite deceiving. Leonard Cohen has a rasp that works well when describing demonic company. A smoky feeling.
There is a lot of media here to digest, but all together, it makes a fabulous playlist. To end this musical celebration of Halloween, I present one last track which was released in 2016. It is honestly just great song for Halloween time and non-spooky times. Get your creep on, always.
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It's summer, and that means travel, relaxation and free time! I recently just returned home from a trip myself and thought it seems perfect to compile some of my favorite road trip/ travel songs. When creating my playlist, I imagine myself listening to this song in the car with people, but usually on a plane to some exciting destination. I always ask myself before adding the song to my playlist: What is going to hype me up? What vibe or beat will make me excited and feel positive when I arrive? Will this improve my experience? Across all genres, there is something for everyone :) Pop-Electronic-Synth
These songs are more pop/synth based, leaving the listener feeling warm and cheery. Usually good for any trip - car, plane, by foot. Whatever floats your boat. Fergie is classic pop, Arizona is def electronic, Theophilus is more r&b with synth, and Jon Bellion is more pop/synth with hip hop roots. Lowkey Vibes
These songs are meant to relax you while you wait to arrive. Headphones are on, looking out the window imagining the great time you will have. The first three are more hip hop/rap with produced beats, but Berhana makes songs for a warm beach-side relaxation vacation. Destinations
I love songs that speak about a specific location in the world. It allows me to create a vision around the song, applying context and imagery to what I imagine would be happening in this music video or situation. George Ezra is indie, Swae Lee is hiphop, Huncho Jack is a rap duo, and Famous Dex is definitely rap again. Imagine listening to these songs on your way to that place! Now that is cool. Additionally, I have been to a lot of amazingly beautiful places around the world. I want to share with you some of the pictures I've taken. Perhaps they're not the best composition or angle or lighting, but my photography skills have been evolving over the years so bless. I hope everyone gets the opportunity to visit another country, city, or region different than their own. Truly, even a town only five miles away may have a different culture. Exposure leads to more understanding, and I would hope everyone grows on their journey. Before I leave you, if there is any song I would hope you listen to out of all of these, it would be by a highly acclaimed artist of our time. A genius. An icon. Someone I have written about previously. Frank Ocean's "Lost" is the perfect song for any trip, anywhere, anytime. If you listen to nothing else on this post, this song is the one to stick through. It has warmth, relaxation, motivation - almost an ambiance. Please enjoy, and remember to take some time for yourself during the summer months. It should be well known at this point in time that it's Pride month. The Pulse nightclub shooting (June 12, 2016) and Stonewall riots (in June 28, 1969) provide evidence of a community in need of support and proper attention. Even if there weren't any violence related events, people still need love and care to thrive! I dedicate this post to all those who identify as part of this community. To celebrate life, one needs music. I want to highlight artists of the community, but also some who are valuable allies - who spread their support and kindness through music. A reminder that this is only one perspective of one person. I often find many messages relatable and valuable, even if I have not personally experienced what the artist is singing about. That is empathy: understanding and valuing something impersonal. With that being said, please enjoy. Also, if you have feedback, I would love to hear it! :) "I KNOW THAT I'M WORTHY I KNOW I'M DESERVING" I found an artist on Instagram some years ago. He had liked one of my pictures, so I investigated further who this person was. What I didn't realize was I had already been listening to his EP When I Get it Right for a while. An Earmilk article articulated well the value of his work. This fabulous artist is Michael Blume. His music touches my soul. It makes me yearn for a better world. It makes me feel more loving towards myself and other people. It inspires me to seek for more meaning in this life, the reality I live. I listen to his music daily. It's understanding, uplifting, motivating. Maybe you can see what I mean. I really can't emphasize specific lyrics because everything he writes communicates so much power, I'd end up putting the whole song down, and that seems excessive.
"Girls Like Girls Like Boys Do" I've known about Hayley Kiyoko for a little while now. She has a pop kind of sound which can be nice at times. Presently, she is known as a gay icon in the music industry and is dating Kehlani at this time of posting. They made this fabulous song together called What I Need. I love their chemistry at the end of the video. It's just nice to see something real.
"I'm so claustrophobic" I'm not so sure what to say about this. It kind of speaks for itself. Doesn't really need the extra fluff. I will say that this song does point out some inconsistencies within subcultures of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies: racial inequality and misrepresentation. Miserable America (to me) is a sad song in a way because, even though his homosexuality may be accepted, he still gets mistreated as a black man. "Sticky Like Caramel"
"You Are Beautiful In Every Single Way"
Frank Ocean
There are so many beautiful songs celebrating love and boss attitudes that I wanted to create a mini playlist of additional songs which deserve attention. Instead of a spotlight, they get a warm welcome.
1. L-O-V-E -Joss Stone 2. When Love Takes Over - David Guetta, Kelly Rowland 3. R U Mad (Remix)- Michael Blume 4. Wish You Would - Mykki Blanco, Princess Nokia (this is a good supplementary article about Mykki Blanco) 5. My! My! My! - Troye Sivan (acoustic) Thank you for sticking around. Again, I recognize this is not a comprehensive list of top songs ever for the LGBTQ+ community or that it best demonstrates anything. Simply, I like these songs and artists who happen to be connected to this culture. It is time to give them more attention and respect they deserve, both as artists and people. |
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