Three playlists for New Year’s Eve, from the house party to the after-party

Dinner party playlist by Berlin-based DJ, L.J. SIMON

L.J. SIMON, the Berlin born and bred DJ, loves his disco, boogie, and gospel funk – which is one of the main reasons he goes down so well at Soho House Berlin, where he’s been resident DJ since 2018.

What’s he dishing up for his dinner party playlist? ‘You need music that talks of the good days. That’s why I chose disco and boogie funk,’ he says. ‘Those genres are so energising; each song talks about how positive the world should be. I only picked songs I own on vinyl because I know them really well and can feel how they will interact with people’s moods. “On The Beat” by The B. B. & Q. Band is one of my favourite celebratory songs of all time – people immediately fall into that groove. And “Falling In Love” by Surface – that hypnotic synth bass line – it sticks in everyone’s heads and makes your body feel good.’ 

Listen to L.J. SIMON’s disco-fuelled dinner party playlist here. 

House party playlist by Brooklyn-based DJ and artist, Quiana Parks 

You’ll find Quiana Parks on the decks at some of New York’s hottest events, with her signature floor-filling sets that keep the party circuit beating (they call it the city that never sleeps for good reason). ‘It’s the energy that makes a good house party. One of my favourite things to do is make sure that everyone has the opportunity to listen to a minimum of two or three songs that they really enjoy,’ says the Boiler Room DJ. She’s put together a New Year’s Eve Kiki playlist full of crowd-pleasers and nostalgic throwbacks from the likes of Burna Boy, Kenji Summers, Doja Cat, and Jamie Foxx. ‘This is a compilation of upbeat tunes for those who choose to get their groove on.’  

Listen to Quiana Parks’ house party playlist here.

After-party playlist by Joshua James, resident DJ at XOYO, Sink The Pink, and Soho House

‘I’m from the school of Sink The Pink – if an afters doesn’t involve a half-cut drag queen waking up on a floor with a wig a little too far back, jumping up and doing a dance routine to Britney Spears’ “Toxic” with a pan on her head, is it even an after-party?’ says Joshua James. He’s the resident DJ at London’s XOYO club on Saturday nights and the new queer fest Feel It on Fridays down at Omeara. 

As for the selection in James’ after-party playlist, ‘You’ve got to keep it camp,’ he says. ‘Try the holy trinity: Madonna, Cher, and Whitney. Chuck in a few absolute bangers to keep the energy up – I can recommend anything by Missy Elliott. So, everyone back to mine?’

Listen to Joshua James’ after-party playlist here.