It’s close to midnight, something evil’s lurking in the dark, under the moonlight, and you hear a mix that almost stops your heart. October’s mixes have got that autumnal feeling we get to experience here in the Northern Hemisphere.

From the fading sunshine feels of Jangle Pop tunes to magical Ambient selections, these mixes will put you in the mood for walks down paths less travelled by in yellow woods.  

The Pop Underground #39 – DJ Hannah

Every Thursday night from 10pm ET on WFIT FM, DJ Hannah explores deep cuts unearthed from the depths of the Pop music underground. Calum in Support says that “Autumn feels like the best time to listen to some Jangle Pop, so I was blessed to find this gem from The Pop Underground. I have no doubt this show will be the perfect accompaniment to a walk in the park to enjoy the last few weeks of sunshine”. Based in Melbourne, Florida DJ Hannah spins it all from power Pop to the avant-garde.

Life In Fragments #2 – Sound and Voltage 

I came across this radio show on Reddit. This radio DJ started their first radio show way back in college in 2001. They recorded it to a cassette to digitize later. 24 years went by and they’ve just gotten around to it. The tape hisses, the high ends drop out more than usual but it’s a fascinating musical time capsule. 120 minute tapes were never great to begin with…so it’s not exactly a pristine recording. Still, it’s hard not to love it. 

The Deadlift Vol. 95: Vampire Bat (a requisite Halloween Episode) – DJ Deadlift

Here are some fun facts about Rick Vodicka aka DJ Deadlift. He’s above average height. He can smell music. He’s also a world famous critic of Scientology and a musician who avoids guitars. 

Our Product Manager Laurie suggests you “kick off spooky season with a Halloween horror inspired mix featuring Synthwave, goth, soundtrack and campy tunes that will make you feel like you’ve dusted off the VHS player and loaded up a triple feature of Fright Night, Ghoulies and The Beyond”. 

Scattershot #26 – Scott Jason Smith

Want a mix that sounds like entering a wormhole into a late 80s American VHS rental store? Our designer Ricky explains that “graphic artist Scott Jason Smith’s mixtapes always meander between genres and always have a hint of narrative with the use of TV, film or fiction audio. This one warrants a listen during the Halloween month of October even just for its inclusion of Willow’s Song from the Wicker Man soundtrack”. Scott Jason Smith is a cartoonist from South London.  He has been making/publishing comics on/off since 2006.

GLINKS: The Influence of Memphis Rap on Balamii 

GLINKS is a resident DJ for Militant Music. A London-based Bass Collective which can be heard on Kool FM, Rinse, Balamii and BBC Radio 1. Chief blog writer Yemi says: “Memphis isn’t as well known for its Rap scene as it should be. From Three 6 Mafia to Project Pat, Memphis has some heavy hitters that have contributed greatly to the genre. This by GLINKS is a sick entry point if you’re trying to get clued up”.

No Dudes Radio #124 Old Dusty Vintage Halloween on Shady Pines Radio

Our Head of Support, Emily, has the perfect couple of hours for those asking for a trick this Halloween. “This is a suitably spooky showcase of haunting, sweet, and sometimes melancholic songs from female-fronted acts, curated by No Dudes Radio Hour on Shady Pines Radio,” she says. “From Billie Holiday to The Breeders, this is a genre and decade-spanning show offering plenty of seasonal spirit and a bit of respite from the typical Halloween playlist.”

Wellness Centre on Duck Radio

Fancy some New Age Ambient on one of our designers’ favourite radio stations? Here’s Anders Bogdanowicz’s Test Pattern, an experimental electronic music show on the Tandanya/Adelaide-based station. Chris is always asking: “Has enough time elapsed for us to promo Duck again?” So, maybe you should find out why!

The Stillness and The Dancing  

If you’re in the mood to discover something brilliant, perhaps take a leaf out of our mobile designer’s book and search for mixes in the lower reaches of the charts? Julian says he “found ‘the Stillness and the Dancing’ by searching the charts for some soothing Ambient to listen to whilst out walking and to help me relax at the end of a tiring day. This show does the job perfectly.” 

Joseph Stannard Presents Adventures In Sound And Music on The Wire Magazine

Joseph Stannard is Deputy Editor at The Wire Magazine and sometimes presents their regular show that features on Resonance FM. Lyra, who powers our social media, says she “loved being flung back and forth between Ambient, Metal, Noise and much in between. A great soundtrack for autumnal walks”.

Dua Lity & Myria Idha on Kiosk Radio 

Looking for something on the darker end of things? Our in-house selector and data wiz Arya simply says: “this mix is pretty fire”. He clocked this recent show from dynamic duo Dua & Myria. Together, they sculpt dark, abrasive soundscapes, crossed by Dub, Metal, heavy drums and ethereal layers.

Check out the full Staff Picks playlist to hear them one after the other.