For the last 8 years, RL Grime has annually dropped a Halloween mix. This long-standing tradition has become one of the most highly-anticipated mixes of the year, as fans know that RL Grime pulls out all the stops to deliver a mix packed full of new music, unreleased music and even a few classics.
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Halloween VIII opens with the Tethered remix of “I Got 5 On It” featuring Michael Marshall. Most horror buffs will immediately recognize this remix from the movie Us. This creepy edit sets the mood we’re all looking for on Halloween, and fit so well as an intro. As we transition out of the intro, we hear what RL Grime is best known for, his seamless mixing of hip-hop, rap, and deep basslines coming together to make heavy-hitting trap music. A number of ID’s were sprinkled between songs by Schoolboy Q, A$AP Rocky and even RL Grime himself to start.
As the tempo increases and the trap gets heavier, we get an awesome DnB breakdown around minute 13. This section featured the songs “Blow” by Upgrade into “Labyrinth” by Oakwite. As a big drum n’ bass enthusiast, I absolutely lost it at these drops. It was totally unexpected, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear it.
Following that is a short transition back to rap—until he drops an insane trap remix of Gesaffelstein’s “Pursuit” by Jawns. Next, we hear an ID that I need right now! Minute 21 starts out way slower than the rest of the mix thus far. It offers a chill breakdown that features some pop vocals. However, it quickly drops into an absolute banger. This ID is one of those songs that makes everybody want to dance. Another ID plays immediately after, and another one comes after “The Greatest” by Whipped Cream and Lick plays. If you haven’t caught on yet, this mix is riddled with tons of IDs. However, it is a common feature in RL Grime’s Halloween mixes.
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Halfway through the mix, a break in the music comes with through a vocal track by Goosebumps author RL Stein re-introducing the mix. The evil laughs and creepy chimes in the background bring us right back to all those spooky Halloween vibes.
However, we quickly get back to the heavy trap and rap with songs by Mr. Carmack, Megan Thee Stallion, and a dope mix of “Yikes” by Kanye West and a new ID, a collab between by RL Grime and Whethan. After that, things slow down a bit and start to get a little experimental. We get a remix of Swum’s “Walk It,” then Troyboi’s trap classic, “Sensei”, and we get another tiny little tease of some dubstep with Machinedrum’s “Alarma.”
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In the last 10 minutes, RL Grime finishes it off with a bang, almost exclusively featuring his own songs. Again, we get a tiny tease of DnB in RL Grime’s edit of “Arcadia” by Skeler mixed with his own song, “Take It Away.” With just a few minutes left to go, we hear Y//2//K’s heavy hitting remix of “Reims” by RL Grime. Finally, the mix ends with an amazing, feel-good trap ID by RL Grime and Juelz.
In the last moments of the mix we hear “You’ve survived RL Grime’s Halloween “Ocho.” No one escapes this life alive.” If you haven’t yet, check out the mix below!