And, just like that, Season One of the Creepy Cabaret has come to a close. It’s alarming how quickly those releases were… well, released. It was a real treat working on this new podcast, and I can’t wait to sink my big teeth into another round next year. The season finale feels like the perfect Nightmare Before Christmas-style homage we approach All Hallows’ Eve!

I based this episode off of one of my least favourite genres: Christmas music. There’s a particular mania that holiday music seems to illicit, so I felt like capturing the main character’s enthusiasm through the genre whilst weaving a mash of dissonant strings and pads would help bring this creepy, campy story to life. Once again, I leaned heavily on Arturia’s Analog Lab and Heavyocity’s collection of orchestral candy to build out the score. The commercials were coloured with a plethora of simpler sample libraries, but the guts of this piece rely on the rich textures that Arturia and Heavyocity embody.

This was the only episode in the season wherein I dabbled with vocal effects. Surrounding the “Chimney Monster” with depth and smoke felt oh so satisfying. It’s not often that I have the chance to shape a voice like that, and I have a feeling there will be more to come next season.