| Horror Show | ||||
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| EP by | ||||
| Released |
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| Length | 23:54 | |||
| Label | Counter Records | |||
| Producer |
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| The Midnight chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Horror Show | ||||
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Horror Show is the second extended play (EP) by The Midnight. It was initially released through Counter Records on October 16, 2020, exclusively through Amazon Music for streaming.[1][2][3] The EP was released to all platforms on March 19, 2021.[4] During the time of the original October release, physical copies of Horror Show were available to pre-order from the band's online store, which included a download link to a digital version of the EP including the instrumentals.[5]
Background and composition
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted The Midnight's plans to tour and promote their new album, Monsters. To get fans engaged with the band during the pandemic, an alternate reality game (ARG) began on September 24, 2020, and continued through October 15, 2020, with fans working together each day remotely to solve clues and discover hidden prizes. On October 13 2020, the prize was a link to an empty Dropbox folder labeled "The Midnight - New Album", and a Twitch channel by the name of "halfinlightandhalfindark" (a reference to a lyric in Last Train) was also discovered, with the channel posting a message of "WEDNESDAY 10/14 @ 12 PM EST."[6] At that time, the EP was streamed for the first time and its title of Horror Show was also revealed. After the stream ended, it was confirmed that the EP would release on October 16 2020. The EP's initial exclusivity to Amazon Music was in part due to the company helping fund its production.
The music on Horror Show is noted for having a darker sound reminiscent of that found on Nocturnal. Four of the six songs were co-produced by Essenger.[7] The album also features a new collaboration with Nikki Flores, a cover of the 1978 Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith hit single Because The Night.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Stranger" |
| McEwan | 1:42 |
| 2. | "Ghost In Your Stereo" |
|
| 4:09 |
| 3. | "Neon Medusa" |
|
| 5:05 |
| 4. | "Devil Make a Deal" |
|
| 4:56 |
| 5. | "Good in Red" |
|
| 4:26 |
| 6. | "Because The Night" (feat. Nikki Flores) |
| McEwan | 3:36 |
| Total length: | 23:54 | |||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 7. | "Neon Medusa (Edit)" | 4:13 |
| Total length: | 28:07 | |
Credits
Additional instrumentation was provided by Jesse Molloy (saxophone on Because The Night), Maddie Rice (guitar solo on Neon Medusa), and Nikki Flores (background vocals on Good In Red and vocals on Because The Night).
Mixed By Tim McEwan. Mastered by Emily Laxar at The Lodge, NYC. Front cover by Max Löffler.
Release history and variants
| Date | Edition |
|---|---|
| July 10, 2020 | Standard |
 - | |
| October 8, 2020 | Instrumentals |
Unlike previous instrumental releases, songs that were already instrumental on the original album are included as well.[8] | |
| April 2, 2021 | Stems |
Contains the 15 songs from the album denoted with BPMs plus 278 stem parts comprising all songs except for 1991 (intro) and Helvetica. The stems are not royalty free but projects and remixes made with them are allowed to be used on non-monetized platforms. First The Midnight EP/album to get a full stems release, which was done for The Midnight Remix Radio Vol. 2 remix contest. | |
| Year | Format | Color/Design |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Cassette | Translucent Purple |
 First tape variant. | ||
| 2020 | CD | - |
 - | ||
| 2020 | Vinyl | Purple Swirl |
 First vinyl variant. First pressing was plagued with issues, with some listeners experiencing warbly playback, skipping, and various other problems, which might have been caused by misaligned holes on the vinyl.[9] Those who ordered the first pressing were sent an email offering a no-cost replacement.
| ||
| 2021 | Cassette | Transparent Purple/Transparent Orange |
 Second tape variant. First double cassette release of a The Midnight EP/album, with the second tape containing the instrumentals. First time an instrumental version of an EP/album received a physical release.
| ||
| 2021 | Vinyl | Purple Splatter |
 Second vinyl variant.
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References
- ↑ "Horror Show (Amazon Original) by The Midnight on Amazon Music". Amazon Music. October 16, 2020. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CGaDuGnAWCe/
- ↑ "ｔｈｅ ｍｉｄｎｉｇｈｔ on Twitter". Twitter. October 16, 2020. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ↑ "Horror Show | The Midnight". Bandcamp. March 19, 2021. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ↑ "Horror Show (Limited Edition 'Bloodshot' Splatter) LP – The Midnight (US)". The Midnight (US). Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- ↑ "halfinlightandhalfindark - Twitch". Twitch. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ↑ "ｔｈｅ ｍｉｄｎｉｇｈｔ on Twitter". Twitter. October 17, 2020. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:2 - ↑ "The Midnight – Monsters (2020, Purple w/ Pink Marbled Swirl , Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
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| Live albums | |
| Remix albums | |
| Singles | |
| Tours | |
| Related articles | |