Dinner Party #1: Clubby Cosmopolitan
The first of many tailor-made playlists inspired by social gatherings.
Welcome to the first in my Dinner Party series. From horny lunches to autumnal family suppers, I’ll share my hand-picked playlists tailored to fit the moods that arise when we gather with friends, lovers and strangers.
When we select our outfit each day, we make a decision, consciously or unconsciously, to say to the outside world: “This is who I am. This is the role I am going to play today.”
If you think, “Well, that’s not true for me. I don’t have a style. I dress normal. I dress only for myself,” surprise!: You’re still making a decision about taste and expression.
I believe the same goes for the music we choose to play in the company of others. If you’re like me, you delight in deciding which songs will chug along and set the tone of a social event. How fun to think about music in a way that isn’t simply: I’m Enjoying This/I’m Not Enjoying This. What a treat to plan an event and consider the songs you love through the lens of relationships, the number of people, the setting, time of day, etc.
The outfit I’d wear to a Friendsgiving in my backyard wouldn’t be the same outfit I’d wear after preparing a candlelit dinner in my kitchen for a new romantic interest. So why wouldn’t the music vary just as much? Both are forms of expression. For both, I ask myself: What do I want to signal? Do I want my guests to feel comfortable? Do I want to stimulate a certain type of conversation? Do I want to push aside the table after a few glasses of wine and slow dance?
I’m calling the first playlist in this series: Clubby Cosmopolitan With Friends. This is definitely a nighttime playlist. Dim the lights, or play it under moonlight.
Music: Up-tempo, jazz, house, ambient, lounge, hip-hop. Most tracks are instrumental, and any vocals are either minimal or samples. These are good songs meant to be talked over, encouraging conversation.
Ideal number of guests: 5-10+. While putting this together, I kept visualizing people leaning across a table in all directions to chat. In fact, the first track features the sound of a crowd chatting away. I really let that inspire the rest of my selection.
Enjoy the first song for free. The rest will be behind the paywall.