In an effort to help fans get in the mood for the end of the month's frights, The Midnight stirred up a surprise Halloween EP, Horror Show.
While the leading synthwave act oftentimes create a cinematic atmosphere on their releases, their latest is a full-on concept album focusing on the horror movies of decades past. Described as their "...homage to the eerie romance of the stumbled upon late night black and white horror film," the six-track EP is the perfect reminder of the campy stories that left us sleeping with the lights on.
The setting is quickly established after the opening track prepares listeners for a trip back in time with its movie soundtrack-inspired production. Lightning bolt electric guitar and spine-tingling bass drops guide the EP's heavier tunes, "Neon Medusa" and "Ghost in Your Stereo." While slightly softer, "Devil Make a Deal" and "Good in Red" focus on the mystery surrounding the stories while creating an eerie singalong atmosphere. As an added bonus, for the closing track, the duo joins forces with "Jason" collaborator Nikki Flores for a saxophone-laden cover of Patti Smith Group's 1978 single "Because the Night."
Horror Show by The Midnight is out now exclusively on Amazon Music. You can preview the duo's new synthwave record below.
"The world of late night television that I remember from my teenage years was much older than the era in which I grew up. The Twilight Zone. The black and white Universal Monster films from the 50s and 60s. Plan 9 From Outer Space," said The Midnight about the inspiration behind their new EP in a press release.
"That world of intrigue seemed so much more romantic and timeless through adolescent eyes," they continued. "More than the rise of big budget horror movies, that quiet era of Creature From The Black Lagoon, House on Haunted Hill, and Plan 9 From Outer Space did far more to inform me about the darkness and strangeness in the human condition, than did the more brutal and gory films that would come later. It was those films you just stumbled upon, that you couldn’t look away from—the Kurosawa films, Hitchcock, the melodramas of shows like Dark Shadows."
Amazon Music subscribers can listen to the full release here.
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