In honor of the spookiest day of the year, Dancing Astronaut raises a toast to the combination of two of our favorite things: Halloween and dance music. Despite a scary season unlike any other, electronic artists have lacked no exhilaration about the staple holiday, which has annually served as a delightfully wicked congregation of event-goers and DJs alike. And although the festivities will remain mostly virtual, both musical and fashion inspiration is still to be found in the dusty crevices of archival gems.
Halloween spirit comes in a variety of forms, as does the artists that embody them. Join Dancing Astronaut as we journey through never-before-seen Halloween costumes from Bob Moses, DESTRUCTO, John Roberts, Niiko x Swae, CRaymak, and more, who divulge their favorite spooky memories and go-to tunes. From the monstrous to the wacky and the sleek, this has it all.
Bob Moses
The ever-eclectic Bob Moses have long cemented themselves as master crafters of indie electronic productions, carrying a coveted introspection to their songwriting. Hailing from a diverse background of pop-punk, techno, and pop, the Vancouver-based duo dropped off their fourth studio album and simultaneous concept record at the end of August. Despite their ruminative artistic presentation, the act decided to take the goofier road with their costume choice:
“This was the first Halloween party we played as ‘Bob Moses,’ so we decided to go as Bob the Builder [Tom] and Moses [Jimmy]. A whacky idea, but it made sense to us at the time. We played an after-hours for Resolute in New York and it was an amazing show, probably the best show we had played up to that point in our career. A lot of parties that night got shut down and ours was one of the only ones left. That was also the day Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on NYC…it was a crazy time.”
Speaking on their spooky selection, Moses reveal, “This is probably one of the creepiest hit songs of all time. It still sounds so awesome and really hits in the all the right spots. We recently saw someone drop it in the middle of a DJ set and the place went off. It’s perfect for getting in the mood for Halloween.”
DESTRUCTO
In an ode to DJ AM, DESTRUCTO has chosen a Halloween memory with the late, great selector. The electronic stalwart and music executive has offloaded a formidable output in the past year, raking in collaborative projects with Misingo, Bruno Furlan, Denzel Curry, and more. Despite his venture into divergent styles of the hip-hop leaning, acid-inspired, and other, DESTRUCTO is no stranger to the dark and heavy club cuts that he has left his imprint on. Says DESTRUCTO,
“This was the first Haunted Mansion in 2008. I was a race car driver and Adam, DJ AM, was 1/2 of Daft Punk. He really fooled the crowd as they thought Daft Punk was playing because he mixed all of their songs for the first 30 minutes of his set until he took the helmet off and trolled the entire event. RIP Adam Goldstein we miss you.”
John Roberts
In a tongue-in-cheek nod to, well… himself, deep house producer John Roberts has selected his own choice cut, “Freaks,” as his haunting Halloween hit. While his chops are most familiar playing Linda in the cartoon television series Bob’s Burgers, his most latest release was produced with the assistance of dance veteran Junior Sanchez, and embraces words that ring true to him—encouraging others to let their freak flag fly. Recalling his favorite Halloween memory, Roberts explains,
“This is the Halloween I stayed in character all day as Cyrus. A creature from another planet that lives off of bark and vegetation. He wanted to join the fight against terrorism.”
Niiko x SWAE
Surfacing in 2017, LA-based act Niiko x SWAE have been pulling their weight in streaming achievements and on touring circuits alike. The future-house duo have quickly amassed support from scene heavyweights including Alison Wonderland and Cheat Codes while planting releases on Hardwell’s Gemstone, Armada, and Musical Freedom. Even with their burgeoning success, Niiko x SWAE inevitably stay true to their youthful energy:
“We wanted to be whacky inflatable arm flailing tube men for halloween cuz those guys just like to let loose and have a good time, and we have both secretly always wanted to be one.”
Flamingosis
Over the years, Flamingosis has envisioned his musical journey as one traversing through the variations of electro-funk. In 2020, fans saw his long-awaited return with the release of his seasonal single “Wild Summer,” which brought forth contemporary funk styles in a fresh composition. In recapping his favorite Halloween memory, Flamingosis recalls his choice to dress as his favorite video game character:
“I dressed up as Little Mac, the boxer from the video game ‘Punch Out,’ last halloween. He’s also in ‘Super Smash Bros Ultimate’ and he’s my favorite character to play. Unfortunately, he’s considered one of the worst characters in the game because of how poorly designed he is, but he fights with a lot of heart. I’m always gonna be a big fan of the underdog. I played my set at Voodoo Fest last year while in the Little Mac outfit and it was a lot of fun. It’s impossible to DJ in those boxing gloves though.”
CRaymak
Montréal-based CRaymak developed his production prowess through building out a wide-ranging musical catalogue, though found common ground with Circus Records label mates over an affinity for hard-hitting bass music. Though he may be most familiar concocting spiritual selects within the studio, he shares how a one-off Halloween purchase turned his high school halls into a shark frenzy.
“Pretty sure the year was 2014 and I decided to buy a shark costume to join in a school of matching sharks with nine other friends. I’ll never forget the 10 of us all being dressed up in the same shark costume and everyone who saw this entire group of us would FREAK out. The best memory of the halloween night was going to a show together and just looking around to see SO MANY SHARKS within a sea of people in the crowd. It was hilarious. We ended up wearing these costumes for at least one halloween party every year since. Definitely not my most creative costumes, but some of the best and fun memories with that group of friends.”
Heading back in time for his Halloween select, CRaymak shouts out an enduring classic, that unfortunately lacks the proper amount of cowbell.
“My Halloween get pumped tune has to be ‘Don’t Fear The Reaper’ by Blue Oyster Cult. It never gets old for me and the bridge is FLAMES!”
Francis Derelle
A long-time player on Circus Records roster, Francis Derelle has amassed an active fanbase that crave his frequented use of melodic vocals and instrumental riffs, which complements the label’s well-known dubstep productions. Though he may be a growing figure in the bass community, Derelle takes his costume inspiration from Confession label heads Tchami and Malaa, for his favorite Halloween memory.
“The photo was inspired because my best friend Nate Lowpass looks like Tchami. We decided it would be fun to be Tchami and Malaa since it just seemed very fitting. You cant see him in the photo but I am chilling on the stage while he plays. The whole night people thought he was actually Tchami though.”
Cosmo’s Midnight
Aussie production duo Cosmo’s Midnight are running high from the release of their album Yesteryear, an easy-grooving 12-track collection which highlights their most accomplished work yet. Their sound channels bright and vibrant beats that blurs the lines between indie, pop and electronica, though opted in for a more enigmatic costume choice for his Halloween pick.
“Last Halloween I went outfitted in matrixy/blade blend, very good fit in my opinion. However, it was a super sweaty spring night in Sydney so I really regretted the turtleneck and trench coat combo (pretty sure it enhanced the hangover).” – Cosmo, Cosmo’s Midnight
“New Order“ is a melancholy, sinister and exciting tune that builds to a feverish pitch. So cinematic, perfect for setting the tone as you walk to the party.
Source: dancingastronaut.com
