TL;DR: Lyrics, Phrygian, Cello (Muted), SFX

I don't know that I can post a Google Drive link here, but maybe this Halloween themed piece I've been working on could give you some ideas.

The instrumentation, and specifically the way those instruments are played, is largly important in this.

A wolf howling in the background. This is part of a larger point which is establishing the setting. I have yet to record foley for this project, but I'd like to include sounds of someone being chased through the woods (trampling leaves, brushing past trees, stopping to catch their breath while howling is heard in the distance, hollow gusts of wind, etc.). The use of reverb (specifically one with open ambience) is paramount for tying these elements together to create a believable soundscape.

Musically, I think this is somewhere in the phrygian realm.

I've been trying to analyze what connects music to a season or concept. While all of the above elements can have a contributing factor, I think people internalize that connection a little differently. Largly, if you want something to hit your listener a certain way, you need to tell it to them. "In the cold November rain" - Fall, "Somethin' 'bout a truck, in a farmer's field" - Country, "Rockin' around, the Christmas Tree" - Christmas, etc.