A Cautious end to the day

All I want for Christmas is a bloody good boogie. I, like many of us, have enough things. And now, more than ever, we’re being encouraged to shift the focus away from the material and on to the experimental. It’s better for the environment, better for the soul, and better for Instagram (if you’re that way inclined).

Gig-wise, I’ve got my sights firmly set on Fatboy Slim’s nationwide tour. He’s playing five dates across the country, with an appearance at Auckland’s Electric Gardens festival tacked on the end.

DJ and producer Wilkinson will also be back in the country for another run around. The man behind Afterglow will play at Hidden Valley on December 27, Auckland on December 28, Rhythm and Alps on December 29, and Rhythm and Vines on New Year’s Eve.

If you’re keen to hit the dancefloor on Christmas afternoon to stave off a food coma, there are plenty of new releases to help.

Clean Bandit’s freshly released album What Is Love? is a scorcher.

Collaborations include duets between Marina and the Diamonds, Luis Fonsi, Charli XCX and Bhad Bhabie.

If that’s not enough to make your head spin, the remaining songs feature hot-right-now artists ALMA, Anne-Marie and Julia Michael. EDM geeks beware, this is a record loaded with manufactured pop hits.

It’s great for a bit of fun, but not to be spun for all eternity.

When the kids are in bed, the chill of the night creeps in and you’re a little bit drunk on novelty Christmas booze, Mariah Carey’s 15th album, Caution, is the sauce you need to end the day. It’s her most remarkable release in years.

Hot tip: Play on GTFO when you want your family to literally get the hell out of your house. Mariah gets the message across in the dreamiest of manners.