SANTA’S PLAYLIST
What to listen out for…
01 FROZEN 2 RRP £10.99 | VARIOUS
Now that the stranglehold of ‘Let It Go’ on kids has loosened, songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez have readied a snow-fresh batch of sequel earworms. Returnees include Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell and – as snow-doofus Olaf – Josh Gad, while newcomers include Kacey Musgraves and Norway’s Aurora, of John Lewis Christmas ad (Oasis cover, the moon…) renown. Parents, be ready.
02 JOKER RRP £9.99 | VARIOUS
Since most people’s Christmases involve a smiley chap in garish get-up, send in the clown. Controversies aside, Joker boasts a flawless beast of a score from Chernobyl innovator Hildur Guðnadóttir. A sick-puppy symphony of mournful melodies, monotonic cello and tense drones, it builds to a pulverising punchline like a ticking time bomb – or maybe a seasonal knees-up gone gruesomely wrong.
03 STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER RRP TBC | VARIOUS
After Palpatine’s shadow fell over The Last Jedi’s throne-room music, will Rise host a full revival of the Emperor’s man-choir theme? Seems likely, but details on John Williams’ Skywalker sayonara remain hush-hush, beyond his brother Don’s talk of a 135-minute score featuring nearly every Star Wars leitmotif available. If anyone can bind the saga’s parts together, Williams can.
04 LAST CHRISTMAS RRP £9.99 | VARIOUS
Director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) made a seasonal splat with 2006 comedy Grounded, but he’s having another go with his Emilia Clarke romcom. The trump card might be the soundtrack: practically the edge of heaven for George Michael fans, its 15 solo/Wham! cuts include (obviously) the title track and the previously unreleased ‘This Is How (We Want You To Get High)’.
05 THE LIGHTHOUSE RRP £7.99 | VARIOUS
If your Christmases typically involve a sense of claustrophobia, drunken fall-outs over food and trouble with big birds, Mark Korven’s music for Robert Eggers’ seaside shanty feels your pain. Brooding strings, dissonant brass, haunted woodwinds and stranger noises besides haunt its bracingly atonal textures. A vinyl release comes with a hole in the sleeve for torch beams, just to lighten the mood.