ACCIOMIXTAPE: October 2013

18 tracks for your all-hallows eve spooky celebrations

one of the western world's most pointless and thoroughly unconventional holidays: halloween! whether you're staying in watching horror movies and eating all your trick-or-treater's sweets or you're at some lame-ass party in a costume you threw together yesterday, hopefully this pleasantly cliche mixtape will get you in the mood (at least i hope so, i mean *shane whatshisface voice* that's my goal). listen to it on 8tracks!

1. What Are You Going to Be For Halloween? - Matthew Gray Gubler (x that's just the audio, idk who that chick is or what she's trying to do) (x)

the LOVE of my sad, pathetic, lonely life; this is reid from criminal minds "singing" this really weird song about dressing up for halloween. he really needs to get a hobby, like if this is what he's doing in his spare time... i'm joking. i love you matthew, marry me, father my children etc etc etc.

2. Dark Lights, Shine Loud - Gabriel Bruce (x this is the only video of this song on youtube, i apologise) (x)

taken from probably the most eerie and halloween-y album you shall ever encounter, this is the kind of pop music which would gain approval from the likes of dracula. even though he's actually a proper weirdo, i've been weirdly obsessed with him ever since i saw him as support for sky ferreira back in july. he actually has mad talent beneath his extreme eccentricity.

3. This Is Halloween - Marilyn Manson (x) (x)

a cover version by that guy who's really very creepy from that movie you watched in your childhood and pretended it didn't scare you but it really did and even now it gives you the chills... i mean what? i'm really badass and fearless...

4. The Ballad of Mona Lisa - Panic! at the Disco (x) (x)

something really bloody awesome to sing-a-long to. like if you haven't noticed, they're always my favourite mixtape songs, and this one is perfect for halloween.

5. If You Were There, Beware - Arctic Monkeys (x) (x)

the mighty monkeys may have strayed away from their more conventional rock-and-roll style, but their back catalog is jam packed with great tunes including this very halloween-y one. in fact, the entire 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' album is a highly acceptable halloween soundtrack.

6. Deadbolt - Skaters (x) (x)

new york newbies Skaters celebrated the release of their newest single with a zombie-themed gig in the big apple. my kinda people.

7. Red Lips - Sky Ferreira (x) (no download currently available on iTunes UK)

proper party tune from sky, who finally releases her long-awaited debut album NEXT WEEK. the video is also very cool and arty as she paints herself in red lipstick. arachnophobes, beware!

8. Tennis Court - Lorde (x) (x)

you need not remind me that the coolest girl in pop music is only sixteen years old, i am already insanely jealous of her. her spooky vocals shine on this hip-hop infused track and i shall listen whilst backing away sobbing "whyyyyyyyyyy am i not uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

9. Diane Young - Vampire Weekend (x) (x)

VAMPIRE weekend. like really, do i actually have to explain this? (also, i'm seeing them in november and i'm going to shit myself, i'm so excited!!! (i'm not really, imagine how unhygienic that'd be. (but i am extremely excited)))

10. Cough Cough - Everything Everything (x) (x)

more or less britain's answer to vampire weekend, everything everything are so so cool. i like the repetition in this song title and in their band name. i also love the anthem-ness of this song because it's so fun to sing a long to.

11. Somebody's Watching Me - Rockwell (x) (x)

enjoy the terribleness of 80's music videos (did anyone else see that broom on wheels while he was in the shower?) in this sax obsessed slice of halloween goodness.

12. Spooky - Dusty Springfield (x) (x)

a more chilled-out track from one of music's most beautiful and under appreciated voices.

13. Thriller - Michael Jackson (x) (x)

what kind of mixtape would this be without THE top halloween song of all time? the king of pop brings you the most iconic video ever from the world's biggest-selling album. this is thriller. thriller niiiiiiiiiiight.

14. Roar - Katy Perry (x) (x)

my second favourite pop princess (coming behind the one and only taylor swift, of course) is ready 2 hear u rOaOaOaOaOaOar. you know, if you've showed up to the party as a lion, or whatever.

15. Year 3000 - Busted (x) (x)

ha ha fuck u jonas brothers.

16. Party Girl - McFly (x) (x)

i do love a bit of mcfly and this song is calling out your name. plus it has a sexy vampire music video which is always a plus, i guess.

17. Transylvania - Tyler, the Creator (x) (x)

and the classiest lyrics award goes to...

18. Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Picture Show (x) (x)

ending the tape on the highest of highs, the legendary time warp from that weird cult movie (or from perks of being a wallflower if you're a 21st century white girl). don't worry if you can't do the dance, you're probably too drunk to function anyway. thank you and goodnight!!!

LISTEN TO THIS MIX ON 8TRACKS OR BELOW

halloween mixtape from sweetlamplight on 8tracks Radio.

quick Halloween popcorn picks (if parties just ain't your thing) (or you're not invited to one) (I'm sure you rock):

The Woman in Black - this heart-pounding thriller starring Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, is much scarier than you would ever expect it to be.
Beetlejuice - cutesy Halloween classic.
Drag Me to Hell - if you're not scared of nasty old women (it's a real thing, I swear!), this is a scream-worthy choice.

For fans of: The 1975, Lewis Watson, Dog Is Dead, Haim, Bastille

(AWFUL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHITTY IPHONE CAMERA)

I don't really ever care about support acts. I would much prefer it if the main act came on stage, did their thing, then left so I wouldn't have to stand around for two hours watching someone I actually didn't want to see. Yeah, it's a fantastic opportunity for lesser-known artists to showcase their talent (blah blah blah) but I am, selfishly, thinking of my poor ankles crumbling under my body weight simply from standing in one place for too long. Besides the phenomenal live presence of Bastille supporting Two Door Cinema Club in Brixton back in February (I find most of Bastille's songs too similar sounding but oh me, oh my weren't they incredible live. They even, dare I say, outshone the TDCC lads.), an enjoyable support act is a rarity.

Let's go back to 21st March 2013. Lewis Watson at the KCLSU in London. On that night, the support was a singer/songwriter called Saint Raymond, who's song 'Bonfires' I was already obsessed with. His music completely floored me and I immediately became a fan. Lewis has an eye (or ear, I guess) for picking pretty amazing support acts, such as Mike Dignam and the lovely Shannon Saunders. Saint Raymond (aka Callum Burrows) was no exception. Neither was the support act chosen for Saint Raymond's first (and sold out!) headline show last night in London.

The support came from a newly emerging singer/songwriter called Joel Baker who owned the stage last night at Camden's Barfly. I hadn't heard of him before but his astonishingly soulful voice pretty much moved me. His songs range from charming solo ballads to propaaa head-bopping, foot-stomping acoustic anthems. As regular readers know, it always blows me away how just one person and their guitar can hold a crowd and Joel Baker did it so perfectly. His impressive set has definitely convinced me to purchase his current and any upcoming music. - check out his youtube channel, see what you think (you'll love him) -

/ really useless paragraph / There was definitely some pre-show entertainment in terms of a ridiculously drunk bald guy (I don't think he knew where he was, nor did he actually purposely come to see Saint Raymond) who cleared himself his own little dance floor and was bumpin', grindin', thrustin', twerkin' his way across the floor. Just when you thought he was about to pass out, he'd let out a massive roar and swing his big shiny head around. Everyone around me bonded because we were all laughing so hard. So jokes.

Despite perceptions that Saint Raymond is a band, he is a solo artist hailing from Nottingham, home to his local inspirations Jake Bugg and Dog Is Dead. He's already secured support slots for the likes of acoustic-folk up and comers like Lewis Watson and the mighty Gabrielle Aplin, who's independent record label he was signed to before securing a contract with major label Asylum Records. Today he announced an international support slot for hipster superstar sisters Haim, which is only reflective of his growing popularity.

He opened his set with the wail-along worthy 'Letting Go' (which has received Made In Chelsea airplay), the final track from his debut EP 'Escapade' which reached the top 25 on the UK iTunes chart earlier this summer. He then continued with 'Escapade' themed tracks with 'The River'. His three-piece band assisted him in pumping enormous amounts of electricity to an otherwise quite chilled-out track. For the moment, he ended the EP reign with my favourite song of his - the dynamic and all-round amazing 'Everything She Wants', which had the whole crowd turnt and singing along.

You would never guess that Callum is just 18 years old, as the level of maturity in his songwriting is well beyond his years. No cheesy, gimmicky lyrics to make the girls swoon. Just good, honest, heart-felt stuff that's so effortlessly cool. Perhaps this is what sparked the interest of Radio 1's Zane Lowe as well as backing from BBC Introducing. His onstage energy is more that of a lead singer of a rock band who've been performing for donkey's years rather than a teenage indie songwriter (if that doesn't come off as a complement, it's meant to be). He proved this in August during his unforgettable Reading and Leeds sets. There is no fault in his guitar playing ability, nor the gorgeous selection of guitars (including many *sniffs* Fender Guitars <3<3<3) he has on stage which I may be slightly in love with.

He then played a string of new tracks, unheard of by the audience, which only make me more anticipated for the release of more music. The stand-out song was definitely the 1975-esque (who, as I can tell from Callum's twitter feed, he is utterly obsessed with) 'Young Blood' which neeeeeeeeeds a place on my iPod sometime soon.

He ended the set with an 'encore' of fan-favourites. Firstly 'Bonfires'; alive with pep, progressive drums, and seriously incredible riffs. Finally was the lead single 'Fall At Your Feet' to close where an actual, though very pathetic, mosh pit began to take place. His upbeat electric guitar dominates the stage and the thundery drums pulsate magically through the crowd. It is songs like this which light up Saint Raymond's big future in the music industry. Keep your eyes peeled and see him live as soon as humanly possible, he's going to be one of the next big names.

Saint Raymond and Joel Baker put on a worthwhile night, proving that sometimes it actually is the support who take center stage.