John Carpenter is Back with “The Shape Returns” from HalloweenSoundtrack

As far as I’m concerned, Perturbator, GosT, Carpenter Brut, Dance with the Dead et al should all be donating a portion of their profits to John Carpenter. Without Carpenter those acts wouldn’t exist, and I doubt the men behind them would disagree. Carpenter is the godfather of dark synthwave, as his legendary, spooky, haunting, synth-based soundtracks for the Halloween films have become the stuff of legend, inextricably tied to the movies and to the holiday itself.

Carpenter has been on something of a comeback tear of late, perhaps inspired or buoyed by the synthwave phenomenon. After a brief world tour in 2016 that saw him performing songs from throughout his decades-long career to adoring audiences all over the globe, he was invited to participate in the next installment of the Halloween film franchise, set to hit screens on October 19th. The movue is the first in the series to have Carpenter involved since 1982’s Halloween III, and he serves as executive producer, creative consultant, and soundtrack composer. His collaborators from his three recent solo albums — son Cody Carpenter and godson Daniel Davies — assist on the latter.

“The Shape Returns,” the first track to be released from the soundtrack, has all the Carpenterisms you know and love. Press play, close your eyes, and allow yourself to be wrapped up in the Halloween-ness of it all, a feeling Carpenter created so many decades ago. The soundtrack will be released on October 19th via Sacred Bones; pre-order here. Upcoming Carpenter live dates are listed underneath the embed.

John Carpenter live:

Oct 10: Amsterdam, NL @ Tivolivredenburg Grote Zaal
Oct 11: Paris, FR @ Salle Pleye
Oct 13: Barcelona, ES @ Auditorium Sitges
Oct 14: La Rochelle, FR @ La Sirene
Oct 16: London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
Oct 18: Newcastle, UK @ Tyne Theatre
Oct 19: Glasgow, UK @ Barrowlands
Oct 21: Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall
Oct 31: Los Angeles, US @ Palladium