How many times must we endure the same old big-band jazz playlist whilst sitting in silent sophistication sipping on overpriced cocktails? As if listening to the bartender harping on about their infusions isn’t boring enough. We have absolutely no doubt that these bars serve us top quality drinks, but another factor that determines whether we’ll keep coming back is the playlist. Here are some of our top picks that shake up the tunes as well as the booze.

 

 

 

Genre: Old school hip-hop classics you can really sing along to. 

Why we like it: If you’re not down with the angry stuff that kids are listening to these days, step back in time to the golden era of hip-hop, when the beats and bass were more consistent and the vibe mellow (though the lyrical content often just as angry). The 88 is an American-themed bar serving fresh cocktails and US-style comfort food, like their moreish buffalo chicken nuggets (B280)—it doesn’t get more chilled than this.

Listen: 

 

 

 

 

Genre: Deep house, but not the boring kind—you don’t have to be on anything to be able to dance to this.

Why we like it: This is a fancy, crafted cocktail bar that expects you to get up and dance (at what point does it turn into a “club”?), while sipping on that B360 Vesper Martini. Forget down-tempo, forget classy jazz, the vibe in here is all about light-hearted fun, so you can warm up your dancing feet before moving onto a real club.