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For autumn atmosphere and informal hi-fi listening, What Hi-Fi?’s October 2026 Now Playing feature offers six very different tracks: from smoky vocals and distorted guitars to orchestral scale and stereo-friendly trip-hop. They are listening picks, not a standardized test playlist: each writer’s notes describe what to listen for, not an objective measure of a system.
What the October Now Playing picks are for
Published October 6, 2026, the feature brings together seasonal listening and music the review team has been enjoying. Senior staff writer Harry McKerrell describes the series’ approach this way: “Sometimes we rely on old favourites with which we’re familiar, but we are always discovering new tracks”. The six selections below pair that spirit of discovery with particular details to notice on headphones or stereo speakers.
Six tracks, six things to listen for
1. “Season Of The Witch” — Lana Del Rey
Del Rey’s 2019 cover of Donovan’s 1966 song is the roundup’s most overtly autumnal choice. McKerrell points to its smoky vocal, layered harmonies and soft, atmospheric textures. Listen for how those elements build a moody sound rather than treating the track as a test with a pass-or-fail result.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →2. “Placeholder” — Gilla Band
This pick swings toward abrasive noise: fuzzy, atonal synths, roomy percussion, distorted guitars and Dara Kiely’s vocals. The feature highlights a brief shift from delayed synthesizers to dry percussion, then back into dense industrial sound. McKerrell likens the experience to a rollercoaster; that is a colorful description of the arrangement, not a measured claim about dynamic range.
#1 Best Overall
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3. “Let The Gods Decide” — Dan Romer
Romer’s score is tied to a pivotal moment in season one of A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms. McKerrell describes the cue moving from gentle accompaniment toward a grander passage, with the scene’s emotional force shaped in part by a recognizable musical theme from Game Of Thrones. This is the writer’s response to the scene and score, rather than a technical assessment.
4. “Dracula” — Tame Impala
A playful groove and the refrain “daylight makes me feel like Dracula” give this track a lighter take on the season. McKerrell reads the line as a metaphor for staying out all night. The feature also recounts being told the song was enjoying a social-media resurgence, but supplies no audience figures or other evidence to establish the scale of that trend.
Rank #2
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5. “Spooky” — Dusty Springfield
The feature notes that “Spooky” was first recorded as an instrumental by saxophonist Mike Sharpe, then singles out Springfield’s version for its warm bass, breathy vocal and restrained saxophone flourishes. Whether it qualifies as a Halloween song is left as a playful matter of taste.
6. “We Fall In Love” — Lamb
Lamb’s open trip-hop soundscape brings shimmering percussion and quirky synths to the list. The feature suggests it as a useful listen for stereo imaging: pay attention to where individual sounds seem to sit across a pair of speakers, as well as how the parts work together. It is the clearest stereo-focused suggestion in the roundup, not an objective measurement of speaker performance.
Rank #3
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How to use the picks as informal listening material
There is no single track here that tests every aspect of a system. Instead, choose the quality you want to notice and listen for it across a short passage or a full song:
- Texture and atmosphere: Del Rey’s layered, soft-edged cover.
- Arrangement changes: Gilla Band’s switch between delayed synths, dry percussion and heavier noise.
- Scale and musical build: Romer’s transition from gentle accompaniment to a grander cue.
- Groove and vocal character: Tame Impala’s playful track or Springfield’s breathy delivery.
- Bass, percussion and saxophone: Springfield’s “Spooky.”
- Stereo image: Lamb’s “We Fall In Love,” especially on stereo speakers.
Headphones or a stereo system are both fitting ways to listen, depending on the quality you want to focus on. The feature does not recommend a particular piece of equipment, and you do not need new gear to explore these tracks.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
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- 9.8 foot cord ends in gold plated plug and it is not detachable; 1/4 inch adapter included
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- Frequency Response: 10 Hertz to 20 kilohertz
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