Song of the Week delves into the fresh songs we just can’t get out of our heads. Find these tracks and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist, and for our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Duran Duran return with the spooky “Danse Macabre.”
Today is a special day: September 1st. While autumn might officially begin on the 23rd, for many, the season of sweaters, pumpkin spice, and hay rides is now upon us. Pay no attention to the 90-degree weather behind the curtain, break out your flannel, rake up some leaves, and get in the fall mood with Duran Duran’s latest single, “Danse Macabre.”
The first track from their upcoming Halloween-themed album, “Danse Macabre” (which translates to “Dance of Death”) arrives with pulsing dance rhythms and spooky-ooky vibes. Heavy bass underscores the track while wailing synth lines escape like souls from a lake of purgatory. With a liberal amount of compression and a certain level of campy snark, the vocals perfectly match the eerie vibe.
“Halloween girl seize the fray, brothers and sisters lead the way/ Shackled to the rhythm, your soul is weighed/ So you better get down on your knees and pray,” the track starts, making its ghoulish intentions immediately clear. The over-the-top horror and Halloween imagery doesn’t stop there, as the song goes on to detail zombies, the embodiment of death, and (perhaps scariest of all) Elvis impersonators.
Admittedly, it’s a little silly, but it’s also quite a bit of fun. And, hey, it’s the beginning of spooky season! Why not have a little bit of silly fun with it? DANSE MACABRE!
— Jonah Krueger
Editorial Coordinator