The Perfect Halloween Party Soundtrack.
Kim Petras’ Halloween-themed album “TURN OFF THE LIGHT” is the perfect thing to get you out of your quarantine slump and into the spooky spirit. Her electronic beats, dark lyrics, and experimental sounds make the album ooze horror vibes. Every song will keep you on your toes because just when you think you have the music figured out, it completely flips itself on its head.
This album is quickly becoming one of my spooky season go-tos, so here is my breakdown of what to sing, what to skip, and what to put on repeat any time of year:
Track 1: Purgatory
Of all the non-vocal tracks on this album, this one might be my favorite. It introduces all its spooky elements in full force, but quickly turns into something that makes me want to dance. 8/10
Track 2: There Will Be Blood
“There Will Be Blood” is the first track that blesses us with Kim’s vocals, and right from the very start of the song, she brings her all and doesn’t ever drop it. As much as I love how unapologetically she screams “THERE WILL BE BLOOD”, the fact that this song always sounds like it’s talking about period sex (even though I know its not) always makes me hesitate. Overall, it’s a super fun and sexy song. 9/10
Track 3: Bloody Valentine
This one just isn’t my favorite. I like how she plays around with music styles using only seven words, but what draws me to this kind of music is the insane vocals on top of the spooky techno beats. Having the beat without many lyrics though makes it fall short. 2/10
Track 4: Wrong Turn
I cannot emphasize enough the Doja Cat vibes in this song!! From the first time I heard “Wrong Turn,” the different styles that all come together in this song reminded me so much of “Say So”. The way that both artists can do the pop-y chorus, the raspy verses, and beat-driven rap wins them major points in my book. 8/10
Track 5:
This song honestly feels like an interlude. The spoken word clips are cool, but honestly it’s kind of forgettable. 3/10
Track 6: Massacre
You know the age old debate about whether The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie? Massacre has the same problem. This song is best described as a spooky parody of “Carol Of The Bells,” which I did not know was something I needed in my life. 7/10
Track 7: Knives
I don’t know what it says about me that I think using the sound of knives being sharpened as a beat is so unbelievably cool and creative. But, this is the track that I think the experimental nature of this album really shines through. 10/10
Track 8: Death By Sex
“Yeah, sex sex sex” Ok, so no one is giving this song any awards for lyrical beauty, but I will say it’s annoyingly catchy. So much so that I might one day find myself in the situation where someone catches me unconsciously singing this one to myself, and I will have to accept the horrible lyrics coming out of my mouth in public. 6/10
Track 9: o m e n
This track feels lighter than the others with almost angelic “ohhhs”. It’s almost like we are coming out of the dark hole that “Death By Sex” left us in. 5/10
Track 10: Close Your Eyes
This song!!!!! I love it so much!! The temptation in the whispers! The way you can’t not belt out the chorus! The way the bass moves you! The first WOO-AH of the album! It’s all so perfect! 11/10
Track 11: TRANSylvania
Honestly, my favorite part of this song is the title. As a transgender woman, the music industry seems to be built against Kim Petras, but she flawlessly asserts herself as a Queen of Pop and shows that ALL women can be successful in the industry. 10/10
Track 12: Turn Off The Light (feat Elvira, Mistress of the Dark)
I love the lyrics in this song. They’re so fun and flirty and the rhyming makes it easy to be singing along even during your first listen. Elvira’s voice makes me uncomfortable for some reason, so I feel like the song would be better with a classic bridge, but it doesn’t detract from the song too much. 8/10
Track 13: Tell Me It’s A Nightmare
This song takes a totally different tone from the rest of the album, and I am so here for it. For most of the album Kim is very dominant and in control. “Tell Me It’s A Nightmare” is a sad breakup bop in the best way possible. With lyrics like “Tell me how we got here, I see you but you’re not there,” Kim dives into the death of a relationship. 10/10
Track 14: i don’t wanna die…
This song takes on a weird mix of eras. The synth beats are reminiscent of the 80s and the limited vocals sound out of the early 2000s. I like what she was trying to play around with, but I’m not sure how much it works. 2/10
Track 15: In the Next Life
I love the harmonies in this song! Kim messes around with robotic voice editing that totally gives the illusion that she’s possessed, and she even starts singing in German. 6/10
Track 16: Boo! Bitch!
This is the best title. Of any song. Ever. 10/10 for title.
Track 17: Everybody Dies
The light has been turned back on. The final track to this album takes us out of the dark and leaves us feeling motivated to go out and live our best lives. It’s so beautiful and light. It is the wedding while the rest of the album was the funeral. 10/10
My Final Thoughts:
These songs work so well together as an album or standing on their own. They have horror tropes laced into the very being of every song, and all of the vocal songs have super fun choruses. Whatever your halloween plans are this year, this album is perfect for a spooky dance party—even a socially distanced one! So put on a costume, get some candy, and turn off the light!