As if Fridays weren’t your favorite day already, Refinery29 will also be gathering the best new music out each week, and breaking down why each track deserves a spot on your weekend playlist.
Spooky season is coming to a head with the most frightening day of the year — after Election Day, that is — and this week, we're channeling our dark sides with some scary tunes. Today's roundup of New Music to Know will put you in the mood for your Halloweekend festivities may be (even if that just means watching scary movies at home), marked by new releases that are creepy in the best possible way.
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Scroll on, if you dare, for the new songs that need to be on your playlist. Happy Halloween!
LIVVIA, "Monster"
In her catchy new single, LIVVIA fight back against rumors and gossip by unmasking the true monster in her midst. Punctuated by ghoulish narration (and is that the foreboding howling of a wolf I hear?), "Monster" wholeheartedly embraces the frightening mood of the season.
Z Berg ft. Shamir, "Skin and Bones"
Z Berg beckons listeners into a horror story of her own nightmares, her simple harmonies taking on a truly eerie quality amidst the plucky jaunt of "Skin and Bones."
Jesswar, "Venom"
Fijian rapper Jesswar brings the heat and the "Venom," effortlessly spitting bars that reminiscent of OG 90s rap music. You couldn't sleep on her talent even if you wanted to — after all, she wrote this song just so that it would haunt you in your dreams.
LÉON,“Crazy/Stupid"
"What’s spookier than a ghost? A person you can’t shake from your mind. In 'Crazy/Stupid,' a standout track with a groovy, seductive beat off of LÉON’s newest album Apart, the Swedish crooner can’t seem to break the witchy spell she’s under, even though she knows she should move on. But therein lies the truth: sometimes we crave the thrill of being haunted."
-Natalie Morin, Entertainment Writer
REYNA, "7/11"
Sister duo REYNA channel the otherwordly with "7/11," a dreamy tune about two boos (get it?) separated by long distance.
Get all our recommendations. Listen to the full New Music To Know in 2020 playlist on Spotify:
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Paris Jackson, “Let Down”
Paris Jackson's carries on her family's rich musical legacy with her debut solo single "Let Down," a feather-soft but haunting melody about the horror of a broken heart.
PAYDAY, “Guts”
Love is a powerful thing, but it can transform us into something we don't recognize. In "Guts," Payday becomes a zombie of sorts, utterly transformed by the sheer force of the feelings she has for her lover.
"You could rip my guts out, tie em’ up in a knot," she sings. "I love you so much I couldn’t tell you to stop."
Jillette Johnson, “Graveyard Boyfriend”
The only thing worse than being ghosted? Being haunted by an ex that you don't want anymore. And unlike spirits, ex-boyfriends can't really be exorcised even if you block their numbers. Spooky.
YEИDRY, "El Diablo"
Even the devil himself can't take YEИDRY. The singer takes a walk on the dark side in her new single, asserting herself as the true big bad of her story.
KiNG MALA, “homebody”
If you're anything like self-professed "homebody" KiNG MALA, count yourself lucky if your Halloween plans were canceled by the pandemic. Even more than trick-or-treating or dancing it out at party, the alternative soul singer-songwriter would really just rather be at home by herself. This year, her wish might be coming true.