Culture: Winter playlist / Global
Dancing in the dark
As the nights draw in – at least, in the northern hemisphere – Monocle Radio’s Fernando Augusto Pacheco picks 50 songs to accompany the season. From cosy evenings spent indoors to the perfect playlist with which to welcome 2025, we cover all the bases. Plus: we hear from some of the featured artists.
Morning sun
There’s nothing like the sunlight on a crisp winter morning. Allow these tracks to provide a gentle, warming accompaniment.
1.
Todo Dia Santo
Marcos Valle
Brazilian legend Marcos Valle delights with his breezy, effortlessly cool bossa sound.
Marcos Valle
Brazilian singer and producer
What are you listening to currently?
On the road, I like to listen to playlists that I’ve made. I’m also listening to Céu’s new album, Novela, which is very nice, very beautiful. She wrote lyrics for a song on my album, which I love. And to tell you the truth, I listen to Ravel and Debussy in the quiet moments.
What are your plans for 2025?
I recently released a new album, Túnel Acústico, so I’ll continue touring it in Brazil, Europe and the US. We’re also planning to tour in China. Another project that I’ve been working on is a music series by [the late] French composer Henri Salvador, which I artistically directed, produced and did arrangements for. It’s becoming an album and will also be turned into a show, which will be toured. Beyond that, I don’t know. I can only to wait and see what will happen.
Do you have any New Year’s traditions?
I prefer to stay at home with my wife, Patricia, and our little dog, Merlot. If I’m performing on New Year’s Eve, it’s got to be something very special. Otherwise, I prefer to relax. I think that’s the way to be prepared for a new year.
2.
Moonlit Floor
Lisa
A member of K-pop group Blackpink, Thai singer Lisa shines in this track that riffs on 1990s classic “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer.
3.
Cinnamon and Clove
Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66
Another bossa nova classic, selected in tribute to the late Sérgio Mendes, who passed away in September.
4.
Sinking Boat
Infinity Song
Soft rock from four talented New York siblings.
5.
Crockett’s Theme
Jan Hammer
The iconic Miami Vice theme.
6.
Turbo
Sunni Colón
Mornings are always smoother with a little Sunni Colón.
7.
Rosário do Desejo
Ayom
A sunny blend of lusophone styles, from Brazilian frevos to Cape Verdean coladeiras.
8.
Love Me Jeje
Tems
This Tems track revamps Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 Nigerian Afro-pop hit of the same name.
9.
Amor em Jacumã
Lucas Santtana
Let cool Brazilian dub beats ease you into the day ahead.
10.
Erase/Rewind
The Cardigans
We never get tired of this one.
Walk in the park
Want to offset the indulgence of the festive season with a walk? Grab your headphones…
1.
Somente o Sol
Deborah Blando
The Italo-Brazilian legend delivers a stirring cover of 10cc’s “I’m Not in Love”.
2.
Cruz de Navajas
Mecano
A Spanish new-wave classic.
3.
Amar Pela Metade
Calema
Kizomba pop from a duo with São Tomé and Príncipe roots.
4.
Sciura Milanese
Popa
A slick synth-pop tribute to the sciuras – the name given to chic older ladies in Milan.
5.
Ortak
Melike Sahin
New soulful pop from one of Turkey’s biggest stars.
6.
Power
Telenova
Alt-indie from the Melbourne trio’s 2024 debut album, Time Is a Flower.
7.
Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido
Karol G
The Colombian singer dominated this year’s charts with this bouncy track.
8.
Leh Benkhaby
Tul8te
This masked singer and producer blends pop with bossa nova and Egyptian sounds.
9.
Acidente
Jão
Melancholic pop by the young Brazilian singer-songwriter.
10.
Cool Breeze
The Jeremy Spencer Band
Let this cinematic yacht-rock track whisk you to the 1970s.
Aperitivo hour
Whether you’re enjoying an aperitivo at home or après-ski on the slopes, these songs will kick-start your evening.
1.
I Forget (I’m So Young)
Sofie Royer
Shimmering up-tempo electro-pop from the Austrian singer.
Sofie Royer
Austrian artist
What kind of music inspires you – and what are you listening to currently?
I love Todd Rundgren and Irish singer-songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan. I have also been listening to a lot of Elliott Smith – in the gym, specifically. I pretend that I’m in a movie and it’s the end credits, and I just can go on and on.
If you could only pick one track from your latest album, which would it be?
My favourite one right now is “Indoor Sport”. I’m fresh off the shoot and edit of the music video for it. Now that there is a bit of distance between the process of producing the song and its release, I can’t lie – it’s so good! But I think that “Lights Out Baby, Entropy!” is great too.
What are your plans for 2025?
To be a pop star.
Do you have any New Year’s traditions?
I am half-Persian so, for me, the new year truly begins on whatever the first day of spring is. It makes so much sense to celebrate the new year when the season perceptibly shifts. It feels different.
2.
Desliza
Ana Moura
Short, sultry and infectious, this new track from the Portuguese fado artist will get you moving.
Ana Moura
Portuguese singer
If you could only pick one track from your latest album, which would it be?
“Mázia”, the song that made me understand what kind of album I was starting to create. It’s a homage to my best friend, my cousin Claudia, who I lost right before I wrote it. I wanted to write a song that celebrated our friendship in a genre that we danced to during our lives together: the Angolan music that we inherited from our mothers’ side.
What are you listening to currently?
I have discovered these two Argentinian boys, Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso. I have been a bit obsessed with the live version of their album Baño María, which is a little more electronic.
What are your plans for 2025?
I want to finish the album that I’ve been working on, get inspired by travelling and play concerts around the world.
Do you have any New Year’s traditions?
It’s important for me to be surrounded by people I love, to dance to music that makes me feel happy and to eat 12 raisins at midnight. I also think about what I would love to achieve in the future.
3.
Nenuphar
Polo & Pan
The French duo’s electro-disco track is inspired by Mexico City and its grooves are guaranteed to spice up your evening.
4.
Air
Crystal Murray
Emotional pop-r&b from the Franco-American singer.
5.
Una Notte Speciale
Alice
This dreamy synth track became a classic upon its release in 1981.
6.
Total Normal
Michael Cretu
Top synth-pop by the Romanian-German music producer.
7.
Diet Pepsi
Addison Rae
Simply a perfect pop song.
8.
Veridis Quo
Daft Punk
Luca Guadagnino selected this for his new Chanel No 5 ad.
9.
Esperar Pra Ver
Evinha
Pure bossa nova brilliance.
10.
Uciekaj!
Lor
Exciting Polish folk-pop.
Hedonistic night
Escape the cold and lose (or find) yourself on the dance floor with these club-ready songs.
1.
Ô travers
Zaho de Sagazan
The acclaimed star combines French chanson with electro.
Zaho de Sagazan
French singer-songwriter
What music inspires you?
As an artist, you have to listen to a lot of music to learn, from Kraftwerk to Jacques Brel. I love classical music; I love chanson. I like to know what’s happening in music. In my work, you can hear the influences of electronic music, cold wave and chanson. But maybe my next album will be rock’n’roll or techno. I want to try everything.
If you could only pick one track from your latest album, which would it be?
In the extended edition of the album [a version that features seven previously unreleased songs], the electronic elements are clubbier, with songs such as “Hab Sex”, for example. It’s more danceable and more experimental. But I love “Old Friend”, which I recorded with my idol, Tom Odell. I always dreamed about featuring him in my music and now it has happened.
What are your plans for 2025?
We just announced the continuation of our European tour in February, in cities such as Amsterdam, London and many others. Amsterdam is already sold out and I don’t understand why. But sometimes we don’t really need to understand. We just need to enjoy it.
2.
Galactic Romance
Jaakko Eino Kalevi (Kiva Kiva Versio)
Italo-disco collides with Finnish melancholy – and it works.
3.
Serotonin Moonbeams
The Blessed Madonna
A love letter to 1990s rave.
4.
Acid in My Blood
Channel Tres
Techno to get lost in.
5.
Pump It Up
Endor
Featured on the soundtrack of one of the year’s buzziest films, The Substance.
6.
Nightcall
Kavinsky, Angèle & Phoenix
Revived when it was performed at the 2024 Olympic Games closing ceremony.
7.
Taboo
Kylie Minogue
Classic Kylie from this year.
8.
Dancing Island
Angelina Petrosova
The Uzbek diva in full flow.
9.
Life
Jamie xx, Robyn
Let optimism banish the blues.
10.
Mystery of Love
Mr Fingers
A famed Chicago house track.
New Year’s celebrations
Raucously ring in 2025.
1.
Tout Pour Moi
Clara Luciani
An uplifting song from new album Mon Sang.
2.
Fantasy
Jade
The former Little Mix member turns disco diva.
3.
Bafana Bafana
Professor Rhythm
Recorded at the end of Apartheid.
4.
Nandakke?
Aili
Delicious electro-pop by the Belgian-Japanese duo.
5.
Somebody to Love
Kazy Lambist
It’s all about love in this gem.
6.
Time for Celebration
Dov’è Liana
Indie with an Italian twist from the French trio.
7.
La Bohème
Mauvais Oeil
Pop inspired by Arab divas.
8.
Promised Land
Joe Smooth
Start your year by bouncing.
9.
Ti Voglio
Ornella Vanoni, Elodie, Ditonellapiaga
A new version of a classic track by Italian icon Ornella Vanoni.
10.
Rescue Me
Madonna
Gospel for the dance floor.
Monocle Radio
To listen to the playlist, search “Monocle Radio” on Spotify or tune in live. Our radio station broadcasts around the clock, seven days a week. You’ll find more music alongside a daily mix of comment, analysis and news shows across the schedule. Head to monocle.com/radio or download the programmes as podcasts wherever you get your audio.
