We’re still waiting—and will be for a while more, it seems—for the fifth studio album from indie darlings The Shins. But frontman James Mercer isn’t leaving his fans out in the cold this October; following up on a teaser posted earlier this week, the band has released a brand new song and music video, just in time for Halloween.
Owing to the upcoming spooktacular, “Dead Alive” is full of tributes to classic B-movie horror, all presented as clips from a fictitious film, I Gleek On Your Grave. Miniatures, forced perspective, and stop-motion are all on display, as Mercer plays a car salesman menaced by his own giant skeleton. Meanwhile, the new track is pleasantly low-key and lo-fi, matching the video’s somnambulistic vibe.
The Shins’ last album—the deck-clearing Port Of Morrow—came out in 2012. A new album is expected some time next year.