Hosting a successful dinner party is a tricky business: from the main attraction – food and drinks, of course – to the guest list and seating plan, there are so many aspects to consider. But it’s the smaller, often overlooked details, like the lighting and music, that really make you the host with the most. There are specific dos and don’ts to be aware of here – you want scented candles and dim lights to create a cosy ambience, for instance, and when it comes to your selected soundtrack, you definitely don’t want a club banger to start playing mid-main course.

Now, at MR PORTER, we enjoy a good dinner party. And to make things easier as our social diaries fill up ahead of the holiday season, we’ve enlisted the help of Mr Nick Hadfeld, director of music and culture at The Standard, London – a hotel-come-party hotspot that’s fast become one of the city’s buzziest cultural hubs – to create a definitive playlist that’s sure to make your dinner party one to remember.

“The first thing I remind myself when making a dinner playlist is that the dining experience is a multi-layered symphony of the senses – an ensemble piece in which music plays a supporting role to food, wine, and engaging conversation,” Hadfield says. “My taste is all over the place usually. But when dining, I lean towards music that could be described as romantic, cinematic and softly psychedelic to engage the senses. Genre-wise, this translates to classical, jazz, soul and dub with familiar instrumentation, warm analogue sounds and nostalgic melodies.”

As for the volume, Hadfield advises against keeping it high. “Avoiding anything too rhythmically or sonically abrasive allows space for the full spectrum of flavour engagement and conversation,” he says. “The secret weapon for the latter part of the dinner is undoubtedly a subtle groove-lead bassline – something you can nod your head to without feeling compelled to stand up and abandon your dessert.”