| Horror Show | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP by | ||||
| Released |
| |||
| Genre |
| |||
| Length | 23:54 | |||
| Label | Counter Records | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| The Midnight chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Horror Show | ||||
| ||||
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] The EP was made available on all platforms on March 19, 2021, following the release of Neon Medusa as a single earlier in the month.[3]
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". A Twitch channel by the name of "halfinlightandhalfindark" (a reference to a lyric in Last Train) was also discovered, and the channel posted a message stating "WEDNESDAY 10/14 @ 12 PM EST."[4] 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. 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]
Four of the six songs on Horror Show were co-produced by Essenger.[6] 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.
Singles
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 |
|---|---|
| October 16, 2020 | Standard |
Initial release, which was only available for streaming/download via Amazon Music or by preordering a physical copy. | |
| October 16, 2020 | Instrumentals |
Was available to download by preordering a physical copy of the EP. First The Midnight release to have vocal and instrumental versions available on release day. | |
| March 19, 2021 | Standard |
General release to all platforms. Contains an edited version of Neon Medusa as the final track. Bandcamp release also includes the instrumentals. | |
| May 14, 2021 | Instrumentals |
General release to all platforms. | |
| Year | Format | Color/Design |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Cassette | Transparent Orange |
 This and the Translucent Grey variant were the first tape variants, both available to be preordered on October 16, 2020. Orders began shipping in January 2021. Contains the instrumentals on side B. First time an instrumental version of an EP/album received a physical release. | ||
| 2020 | Cassette | Translucent Grey |
 This and the Transparent Orange variant were the first tape variants, both available to be preordered on October 16, 2020. Orders began shipping in January 2021. Contains the instrumentals on side B. First time an instrumental version of an EP/album received a physical release. | ||
| 2020 | LP | Transparent Orange |
 This and the Smoke variant were the first vinyl variants, both available to be preordered on October 16, 2020. Both variants run at 45 RPM, the only The Midnight vinyl releases to do so. Orders began shipping in January 2021. "Kill Your Demons" is etched in the run-out area. | ||
| 2020 | LP | Smoke |
  This and the Transparent Orange variant were the first vinyl variants, both available to be preordered on October 16, 2020. Both variants run at 45 RPM, the only The Midnight vinyl releases to do so. Orders began shipping in January 2021. "Kill Your Demons" is etched in the run-out area. Some copies of this variant had a more pronounced darker color closer to black, which is reflected in an updated render. | ||
| 2022 | LP | Bloodshot Splatter |
 Third vinyl variant. Unlike the first two, this variant runs at 33 ⅓ RPM.
| ||
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.
- ↑ "ｔｈｅ ｍｉｄｎｉｇｈｔ on Twitter: "－Ｈｏｒｒｏｒ 🎃 Ｓｈｏｗ－ Welcome to The Midnight Horror Show. Our new EP streaming exclusively on @amazonmusic and available for purchase in our store. Let's get spooky." / Twitter". Twitter. October 16, 2020. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ↑ "Horror Show | The Midnight". Bandcamp. March 19, 2021. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ↑ "halfinlightandhalfindark - Twitch". Twitch. 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.
- ↑ "ｔｈｅ ｍｉｄｎｉｇｈｔ on Twitter: "We collab'd with @EssengerMusic on Ghost in your Stereo, Neon Medusa, Devil Make a Deal and Good in Red. Thanks for killing it on the tracks! 💜" / Twitter". Twitter. October 17, 2020. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  | |
|---|---|
| EPs | |
| Studio albums | |
| Live albums | |
| Remix albums | |
| Singles |
|
| Tours | |
| Related articles | |