North Texas Artists Share 12-Track Halloween Playlist

Residents of Dallas County can access a new collection of 12 Halloween-themed songs by local artists on Spotify. The playlist, released by the local music platform KXT, features tracks from musicians based in McKinney, Denton, Fort Worth, and Dallas. Listeners are advised to play the tracks in their specific sequence rather than using shuffle mode.

The collection opens with a new single from The Capsules, a band from McKinney and Dallas. Their track is titled Full Moon Factory. An animated music video for the song accompanies the release. The playlist continues with Terrifying Nightmare by Dallas songwriter TJ Novak. Novak is a member of the Dallas alt-rock band CURL. The song features organ and saxophone instruments.

Denton rock band Deep Blue Something contributes the track Who Put Bella in the Witch Elm? The song is inspired by a true story from 1943 in Worcestershire, England. In that incident, a woman's body was found inside the trunk of a tree. The identity of the woman and the person responsible was never determined. Lisa Renee Smith provides the fourth track, Haunt Me, which the source describes as dark and sultry.

The experimental instrumental group Stem Afternoon offers Haunted Hospitals. This track is described as creating expansive brain visuals through inter-dimensional soundscapes. The Roommates, a four-piece female rock band from Dallas, contribute Evil People. The song is characterized as slow, heavy, and headbanging. It is designed to feel primal and cathartic to the listener.

Pinkish Black, a sci-fi avant-metal synth-doom duo, includes the track Until in the collection. The project honors its late mastermind, Daron Beck. The duo currently consists of Jon Teague. The song comes from their final album, Concept Unification. Empire Arcade contributes Night of the Carpenter, a track described as an auditory collage of found artifacts. The band describes itself as an amalgamation of amalgamations.

Wave Vendors provides the instrumental electronic rock track Beef Naps. The song was created by composer Jeff Thrower. The band released its debut album earlier this month. Sleepy Atlantis, a dreamy alt-indie band from Fort Worth, includes Strangest Place (Escape Mix). The track features low, longing strings and vocals by bandleader Bobby Zanzucchi. The source notes the song has a cinematic quality.

Tantra Ravenhawk contributes Raven Queen, a song from her debut album Shadow Play. The track features Daniel KatsuK and Andrew Robin. It is described as having an ancient-feeling melody with bell tolls. The final song on the list is City of the Heartless by Gringo Soul. This one-man band uses a Korg Kaoss Pad to add layers to the experimental sound. The track is compared to the feeling of being in a haunted house where the listener is mistaken for the monster.

KXT states that its work is supported by its members. The platform encourages listeners who enjoy the promotion of local music to consider becoming sustaining members. The playlist is available for saving on Spotify for personal listening during the Halloween season.