Duran Duran’s Black Moonlight: If Freddy and Dracula Opened a Club in Ibiza

I just got back from seeing the movie Thanksgiving and thought I would give the new Duran Duran record, Dance Macabre another spin. You see, Duran Duran set out to make a Halloween record. This follows a tradition started with The Cramps’ I was a Teenage Werewolf and then picked up by the Misfits and Rob Zombie. I have to say, the previous three bands are vastly better than this Duran Duran record…and really The Cramps’ track is the best Halloween song ever, so everything is downhill after that. Anyway, I was not super impressed with this Duran Duran record when I first heard it, but for Coop’s sake I gave it another spin…and buried under the cobwebs, bloody heads and hockey masks was a shiny diamond encrusted Jack O’ Lantern.

The track Black Moonlight is a clear standout in this witch’s brew and what I love about Duran Duran. Like the 2021 record Future Past, Simon le Bon’s vocal is timeless and has all that 80s opulence I love. Therefore, I am not looking for moody genre tracks. Give me the neon and coke soaked 80s! Black Moonlight updates that vibe with a modern club feel with some huge synth lines, thumping percussion and electric guitar riffs. However, there are some classic theremin notes that harken back to Halloween monster radio shows of the 50s and 60s. I liked that little touch, because it reminds you that this is a Halloween record, but does not take you out of the track.

Like previous records, Le Bon’s vocal is on point. When he really leans into it on the chorus the track elevates to an epic level. His vocal is strong and has that 80s steel side to it that cuts through all the dance synth and club glitter in order to still give you that big punch you want out of a good pop vocal. There are a bit of post production effects put on it to amp it up, but the vocal doesn’t come off as artificial. Fans of the 80s Duran Duran and of the previous record will love the energy and vocal on this track. I think that is why I am not a fan of record on the whole, which sees Simon trying to go more genre with it and mimic horror movie tropes. I wish they went away from that more on the other tracks, but this is the gem I was looking for.

For me, the standout on this record was Black Moonlight, which gave me all the vibes I am looking for in a Duran Duran track. If you are a Halloween genre fan and are looking for a new gothic music vibe for that, you may like the rest of the record more than I did. However, if you are looking for that classic Duran Duran vibe, but a little freshened up, this is the track for you. No tricks here…Black Moonlight is a definite treat….see what I did there…Now, go see Thanksgiving.

Listen to Black Moonlight