This week, the Index Staff decided to turn to their favorite fall vibes songs to get us in the right spirits for the upcoming spooky holiday.
“Rhiannon” – Fleetwood Mac
If you’re looking for a vintage 70s witch vibe this spooky season (which I realize is a very specific energy, but bare with me), this is the perfect classic to add to your Halloween playlist. An oldie but a goodie, Rhiannon was recorded by legendary rock band Fleetwood Mac — the original witchy vibes band — in 1975 and released as a single the same year. While the lyrics themselves are not necessarily spooky, they evoke the ancient Welsh/Celtic myth of Rhiannon, a beautiful Otherworld woman (a type of a goddess-like figure in Welsh mythology) who is often depicted riding a glimmering white horse and is followed constantly by dark birds. Fleetwood Mac frontwoman Stevie Nicks was reportedly enamored with the myth of Rhiannon’s Birds when producing this classic track and wrote it with the intention of making the melody as mystical and mysterious as possible. The song is truly haunting and beautiful, which makes it the perfect chill Halloween song. Besides, what is more spooky than a song about a magical Welsh goddess written and performed by Stevie Nicks, one of the queens of occult rock? — Isabelle Williams
70% – underscores
What could possibly be more in sync with this anthropogenic fall season than climate dread? underscores’ emo-plus-hyperpop sound rips through this opening track, their voice wrung through a combination of autotune and pitch-alteration that makes it unrecognizable. Not to mention the swinging, frenetic instrumentation, moving effortlessly from tension to release and back again, unable to be pinned down to any one sound. The song revolving around just one riff and a one-line chorus builds tension, too. “I guess he thought he only cried at funerals, but this time no one’s dying, it just seems like everyone around him wants to,” underscores cries, shortly before the song rots into light noise under its own ruminating weight. “70%” is a hell of a fun anxiety attack. — Quint Iverson
Kehlani’s “Altar” Honors the Dead
“Altar,” the lead single off R&B singer Kehlani’s upcoming album, centers around celebrating deceased loved ones, making it a perfect addition to anyone’s All Hallow’s Eve playlist. After publicly dealing with the death of several friends over the last couple of years, Kehlani shows reverence for their spirits on the single. With funky instrumentals and stellar vocals, she describes putting her passed loved ones on her altar and connecting with their spirits. This is more than appropriate for a holiday believed to encompass a heightened sense of connection with the dead. As we move into the Halloween season, Kehlani’s latest song is a perfect way to return to the roots of the holiday and possibly even connect to somebody who is long since gone. — Kyla Wilson
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