You got through Freshers’ weekend flitting around each others’ apartments, but now that you’ve started to get a gang together, it’s your turn to host. You’ve been trying to gauge the vibes music-wise at other gaffs, but it’s been carnage by the time you’ve arrived every night and who even notices at that point anyway? Realistically, you just need something to tide you over the first few awkward guests until the naggins are out of the way and everyone’s loosened up. (To be fair, crew or not, you barely know these people and aren’t sure if you have that much in common yet.)  

Getting the perfect pre-drinks vibe can be a toughie; nothing too mellow (could become a bit of a downer), but you don’t want to break out the bangers too early when everyone is just sitting down having a chat. You’re still a bit nervous about going overwhelmingly alt and coming off as pretentious, but you still want something cool.

Lash on a song or two from Everything Now, Arcade Fire’s fifth album. Everyone likes Arcade Fire, so you’re unlikely to alienate anyone, and it’s a new release so you’ll look in the know. Reviews weren’t great all round, but that’s great fodder for conversation. You can debate its merits and demerits, argue about whether Reflektor was ever any good at all, and reminisce over Funeral. Leading singles ‘Everything Now’ and ‘Creature Comfort’ are both pretty decent bangers and worthy of inclusion, and if all else fails, you can reach back into the archives after that.