Halloween is just around the corner now, and here at The Panoptic, we are ready to spook and shock you with the variety of music that we’ve been jamming out to. This week we feature songs by Joji, The Tings Tings and Parcels. Enjoy!

Follow our Singles of the Week here.

Dominyka Morkvėnaitė, ‘Estranged’ by The Ting Tings

Best known for their rock-pop hits ‘That’s Not My Name’ and ‘Great DJ’ (formative songs during my angsty, adolescent years), The Ting Tings seem to have been flying under the radar for the best part of a decade. In reality, they’ve released two more albums since We Started Nothing; unfortunately, neither received as much acclaim or attention as their debut. However, the release of ‘Estranged’ last week has peaked the attention of critics across the world. Providing a taste of what the band has been working on for the last four years, ‘Estranged’ feels a lot more grown-up than previous tracks. The slow, strong beat is difficult not to sway to, and the melody is simple but infectious. The most notable change, however, is how well the gradual build throughout the song is sustained, teasing us through to a powerful instrumental end. This stripped-down, electro-rock side of The Tings Tings is something I’m very much here for – here’s hoping the rest of the album lives up to this first taster. The Ting Ting’s fourth studio album,The Black Light, is set to be released on October 26th.

Sidrah Zubair, ‘TEST DRIVE’ by Joji

I never, for once, imagined that a man who once bathed in instant ramen noodles or ate a human cake made of hair could ever transition to making serious music that didn’t involve parading around in a pink bodysuit. However, it is 2018 and anything is possible, including Joji. Famous for creating bizarre, often really disturbing, prank and rant videos on YouTube as Filthy Frank, he has been releasing mellow, lo-fi music over the last year or so. ‘TEST DRIVE’, his latest single, is produced by RL Grime and is a broody, chilled track detailing a failing relationship where each partner has different expectations. Though I don’t think Joji is doing anything wildly exceptional or experimental with his music, it’s clear that he’s having fun while doing it and is more than happy to distance himself from his previous Internet persona. The music video is also rife with interesting symbols, including Joji riding a motorbike wearing a white wedding dress. If you need more Sad Boy music in your life, this guy is definitely one to put in your playlist.

Freddie Metherell, ‘Withorwithout’ by Parcels

Parcels have been ever-present on my party playlists for while now. For those of you who are yet to be exposed to them, Parcels are an Australian band that are taking west coast vibes to the discotech. To me, quite a novel concept. A concept that was enough to bring them to the attention of a certain Daft Punk, however. Collaborating on one of their headline singles to this point, Daft Punk have clearly rubbed off on Parcels. ‘Withorwithout’ has been dropped just as their debut LP has been released. The song opens with delicate autumnal folky sounds. Gentle guitars are paired with vocals to create quite a minimalistic sound. It isn’t long before the influence of Daft Punk is truly felt. I’m a big fan of this offbeat song and the music video for this track is a great early Halloween treat too.

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Image: 88rising Music - 12Tone Music