HALLOWEEN PLAYLIST 2020

I love, love, love Halloween. My favorite holiday, by far! I don’t even care about trick of treat, costume parties, or any of that— I just really dig that for a certain interval every year, decorative depictions of monsters, the macabre, the paranormal, and what have you become socially acceptable fare. I keep some of my Hallween decorations up all year round, although it’s nice to bring some of them out fresh every October.

Anyway, this year I thought I’d put together a playlist of spooky music in accordance with the season… so if you to are a Halloween-ophile and would like 4.5 hours of music as a sountrack to this predilection (or, you know, just some songs to steal for your own playlist), then have at it! Although to be fair, if you require a high degree of wholesomeness in your entertainment, you might want to steer clear.

I highly recommend listening to it on shuffle— it’s not meant to be heard sequentially as is.

I’ve tried to lean on stuff people haven’t heard a million times, though I’ve included a few standards that I enjoy. There’s quite a bit of 50s and 60s novelty material, given the bottomless pit of it, and I enjoy the kitschiness of these tunes as much as I do the hokey vintage horror cinema they tend to reference. While I’ve hewed somewhat closely to songs about the explicitly imaginary/ paranormal (as opposed to songs that simply mention ghosts, witches, or monsters metaphorically), I’ve made a few exceptions for murder ballads, since these lend an appropriately haunting atmosphere.

Enjoy!

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RECENT VIEWING: EPISODIC

Some stuff I’ve been enjoying recently in the TV/ streaming realm.

THE AMERICANS

(Drama/ Thriller; Originally on FX; now available on Amazon Prime)

One of the best TV shows I’ve ever seen, depicting a pair of 1980s Soviet agents posing as a “normal” American couple in the suburbs of DC. In particular the acting is quite nuanced, suggesting strong direction as well.

I’m also a big fan of the dizzyingly complex opening credits, which are broken down well here.

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THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA

(Horror/ Comedy; Netflix)

This show is apparently based on an old Archie comic or something. Anyway, I love what’s it’s been rebooted as: it’s kind of like an American take on Hammer horror with a fair amount of comedy sprinkled in. There’s an awful lot going on here, so it’s difficult to explain briefly. But if a campy brew of witches, demons, clairvoyance, shapeshifting, and undead stuff sounds appealing to you, then check it out. The lighting and overall production design are particularly sumptuous. And there’s a strategically placed “Night of the Lepus” poster at one point too.

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WILD WILD COUNTRY

(Documentary; Netflix)

This has been out for a while now, but if you haven’t seen it yet then do yourself a favor. Again, a sprawling narrative that’s hard to describe, and (despite its truth) even harder to believe. Netflix’s succinct decription is effective: “When a controversial cult leader builds a utopian city in the Oregon desert, conflict with the locals escalates into a national scandal.” The series apparently won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary Series. I particularly love the haunting score by Brocker Way.

2018 IN REVIEW: 2 OF 3

Part 2 of a look back at 2018 projects. We’re lucky to work with so many great collaborators!

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DUAL: SOUND EDIT, FOLEY + MIX FOR SHORT HORROR FILM

“A child psychologist attempts a breakthrough with a troubled little boy, unleashing the demonic fury of his ‘imaginary friends’ in the process.” Justin Staggs’ unnerving short recalls 70s and 80s genre classics like “The Omen” and the work of John Carpenter. I provided sound edit and mix on the project, including a variety of subtle Foley to fill in the gaps.

Here’s the trailer for “Dual” (though to be clear, I didn’t work on the trailer):

More sound edit and mix for film

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SOUND EDIT + MIX FOR MEDICAL ANIMATION: iTRACK, ELLEX MEDICAL

Sound edit and mix on a promo featuring med tech by Ellex Medical for glaucoma surgery. The client wanted VO way out front, FX and music low-key and understated. Many sonic events hover on the horizon line at the verge of perception: an enjoyable challenge to balance all the elements.

More work by Junior Birdman Audio for medical animation

More work by Junior Birdman Audio for corporate video

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ASTRORITE: GAME AUDIO FOR METROIDVANIA PLATFORMER

Highlight reel of sound effects I created for Astrorite, a platformer by Giorgios Lagoudakis. The creative brief was to assemble a Metroidvania experience, eschewing contemporary aesthetics for a retro approach. In keeping with the throwback aesthetic, all sounds I contributed to the game were created using source audio from a single analog synth.

More sound design and music for games

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FORRESTER CONSULTING, CISCO STEALTHWATCH: VOICEOVER ENGINEERING + PERFORMANCE

As part of a long-term collaboration with TM Design, I’ve been providing voiceover performance and engineering for explainer videos by Forrester Consulting promoting assorted business services. Here’s a 2018 video featuring my voice, promoting Cisco Stealthwatch and ISE.

More work for branding/ coporate video