Bauhaus‘ debut single “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” is a goth classic that has become a staple of Halloween, too, and has been covered by everyone from Massive Attack to Chvrches to Sepultura. Add another cover to that list: Madchester vets and “Unbelievable” hitmakers EMF have put their own spin on it as their new spooky season single.
EMF have not given it an “Unbelievable” style dance rock makeover, instead hewing pretty close to the original, though it starts to go rave by the end. “It may come as a surprise, we embraced true goth culture in our youth, the first band I actually saw play live was The Mission,” says vocalist James Atkin. “They were the kids at school with spiked hair-sprayed hair and Sisters of Mercy etchings on their satchel bags, oh and don’t mention how much we adored the Cure (and still do). At the local pub in their teenage years was a jukebox – the go-to record that eventually got worn out by them was Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi’s Dead.” To be able to revisit this and do our own EMF-inspired cover version is a real treat for us, a real Halloween treat that is.”
Guitarist Ian Dench adds, “I saw Bauhaus play at Bristol Locarno in the UK on October 1O 1982. I was 18. Their energy and the way they created an atmosphere was electrifying, especially when they played Bela Lugosi’s Dead. I dreamed of being able to do that and there’s a ghoulish significance to releasing EMF’s version almost exactly 43 years closer to the grave.”
If you’re wondering what Bauhaus might think of this, bassist David J has weighed in: “A colony of bats burst out from the Forest of Dean to the soundtrack of ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’ fed through a contemporary minimalist dystopian filter. The tight rhythmic dub echoes making for a propulsive drive that sees this compact and condensed cover rush past the finishing line in misty Transylvania.”
Listen to EMF’s version of “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” — which premieres here — and the Bauhaus original, below.
Meanwhile, EMF also just released a new original song, “Hands in the Air,” which they describe as “A call for unity in the face of all the hate and division in the world right now.” You can listen to that below as well. The band are also on tour in the UK with fellow ’90s survivors Jesus Jones and those dates are listed below.
EMF – 2025/2026 Tour Dates
Thu, Oct 9 – EMF vs Jesus Jones – Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow G12 8QN
Fri, Oct 10 – EMF vs Jesus Jones – O2 Academy, Liverpool L3 5UF
Sat, Oct 11 – EMF vs Jesus Jones – The Warehouse, Leeds LS1 2RG
Fri, Oct 17 – EMF vs Jesus Jones – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London W12 8TT
Sat, Oct 18 – EMF vs Jesus Jones – O2 Academy, Oxford OX4 1UE
Sun, Oct 19 – EMF vs Jesus Jones – Crane, Bristol BS2 0SE
Sun, Jan 25, 2026 — Fri, Jan 30, 2026 – EMF Live – The 90s Cruise 2026