Riley Kopceuch, Contributor
As the leaves begin to fall on campus and the city starts to get colder, my music taste is making a shift, too. Moving away from the psychedelic, experimental hip hop sounds of my summer playlist into a more moody, mysterious energy for the change into fall, there are two perfect words to describe the vibe of music I am listening to this autumn; vampire fall. Whether I am putting my headphones on during a long subway ride downtown, or just grabbing coffee in between my classes, these songs have been the soundtrack to my everyday life during this fresh fall season.
“Tranz” by Gorillaz
The electronic, experimental sound by Gorillaz is always on my playlist during the transition period from the late summer to early fall. The song “Tranz” specifically talks about a period of escapism and altered states, and is produced to make the listener feel like they are in a trance. The dreamy, alternative introduction to this song is one of my favorite instrumental tracks in the Gorillaz discography.
“Pain” by Pinkpantheress
The introduction to this song never fails to give me nostalgia to 2021. Whenever I hear the beginning of “Pain” by Pinkpantheress, I immediately think of Tate sweaters, cold fall air, and a foggy bus ride to school. Pinkpantheress’ first album, “to hell with it,” completely provides the dark, mysterious energy that comes with a vampire fall. This song specifically mixes with this dark aesthetic and nostalgia to create a perfect listening experience.
“Instant Crush (feat. Julian Casablancas)” by Daft Punk
Daft Punk is one of my personal favorite music groups, from their electronic production to their visual aesthetic. This song is different from the rest of their discography because of the specific melancholic synth. “Instant Crush (feat. Julian Casablancas,” is one of my favorite songs in their catalog because of the instrumental arrangement and overall mysterious feel.
“House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls” by The Weeknd
I personally love The Weeknd for the sole fact that his discography is so versatile. The mysterious, hazy energy that this song specifically embodies is what makes it a staple in most of my playlists. The shift between the beginning of the song’s “House of Balloons” section, to the ending “Glass Table Girls” section is drastic, but still carries a similar tense, rebellious feel that makes it feel vampiric to me.
“505” by Arctic Monkeys
“505” by Arctic Monkeys is a true fall classic. The album that this song comes from, “Favourite Worst Nightmare,” provides a sharper, darker energy than their previous, debut album, “Whatever People Say About Me, That’s What I’m Not.” The sleazy, edgy energy of this song heavily reminds me of 2014 Tumblr, contributing to the overall vampiric spirit of this season.
“Olympus” by Blondshell
“Olympus” by Blondshell has to be considered as one of my favorite songs of all time. Her description of a past, nostalgic relationship is relatable to almost every listener and their “October canon event.” This song comes from her self-titled debut album, “Blondshell,” and is partnered with nine other tracks that embody this same dark, edgy energy.