Now Hear This - Halloween 2020

 I usually wait a little longer to toss out suggestions for Halloween tunes but during COVID, Bandcamp is donating all purchases directly to the artists on the first Friday of every month. So if any of these selections strike you, today is the day to buy!

 

If there's one thing you can count on every Halloween season, it's that Sam Haynes is going to release a new album!

 

Groovy Murder Disco is unleashed on the world today! The album went up for pre-order a couple weeks ago and I purchased it before hearing a single note. It seems like every year, he manages to top previous releases and this year is no exception. This deluxe edition features 13 songs (naturally!) plus 9 bonus tracks. 

Also released today is Songs from the Orange Book, an EP featuring the macabre spoken words of acclaimed Halloween poet K. A. Opperman and spooky sounds of "Songs of the Thinned Veil" composer Justin Burning.

Sean Keller hits us with Revenge of the Killer Sounds of Halloween, the sequel to last year's great Killer Sounds. I absolutely love both of these albums! Keller somehow manages to invoke that feeling of childhood Halloween nostalgia despite these being brand new tracks. Each album is done as a mixtape with different fictional bands performing and the occasional fake radio ad. Check out All Hallow's Geek for his review and interview with Keller. I can't recommend these albums enough!

 

JC Greening is also back for another Halloween with Dr. Frankintrance Presents: Summon the Radio Spirits. The last two years, he's released volumes 1 & 2 of Halloween Haunts & Terror Tales which are a lot of fun so I was thrilled to see something new from him. The new album is pay what you want but you can grab his whole collection for at least $5. Any of the 3 albums I mentioned here are worth that alone!

Dr. Frankintrance has been resurrected from his grave for a special one-night only Horror Dance-Extravaganza! Featuring all original music by the master of macabre, and including real unknown and mysterious sounds from the universe, this album is sure to make any Halloween party ghastly and ghostly! Enjoy, Children of the Night, and prepare yourself to scream during this stormy and violent vesper!

 

 Boston based Wolfmen of Mars brought us The Spectral Sounds of Space last month. They describe it as "an ambient homage to the haunted house sound FX records of years past with an intergalactic twist." Pretty much any of their songs would be right at home on a Halloween play list. If you've never heard of them, check out their catalog.

 

Dr Snik is back with another Halloween album called Devil's Dance. He describes it as "original spooky electronic music together with modern jazz based melodies and harmony." He's got two other Halloween music albums and one with soundscapes. You can grab the whole collection for just $6.66!

 

While I was putting this list together, I stumbled into Trip B who is tagged as dark hip-hop and horrorcore. I had no idea this was a thing! It may not be for everyone (obligatory explicit lyrics warning) but I'm intrigued by a new angle to explore horror themes. Music to Cut a Pumpkin By is his latest release.

This one isn't a new release but I would be remiss if I didn't mention it again for any new readers. This is easily one of my top five Halloween albums of all time. It's just that good! It's folksy and fun. The best thing about Bandcamp is you can listen to the albums before you buy so please check out Halloween Special, I promise you won't be disappointed.

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