Yes, we did reference Miley Cyrus’s latest album, Endless Summer Vacation, on our cover this issue. I’m only a little sorry about that: most summers, we get obsessed with one pop banger or another and it hits high rotate pretty quickly. Elton John’s Cold Cold Heart takes some beating and there may have been a Bieber phase too.

This year, it started with Dolly Parton’s cover of Wrecking Ball – which is fantastic – then progressed back to the original Wrecking Ball, which Ira used to sing enthusiastically as a two-year-old on the ukulele complete with adorable lisp. (“I came in like a WREEEHHHHHKING BAAAAAAL-AHHH.”)

Then, after a kids’ band sang it at the school centenary and it got stuck in all our heads, we flicked over to Flowers, which as it turns out is the fastest song to reach a billion streams on Spotify: make that a billion and 20, thanks to us.

The cumulative effect of all this is that for the past few days, and as we’ve been putting the finishing touches on this issue, the house has been filled with the sound of Miley. It’s somehow soothing, even though a couple of the tracks make you feel like you’re in Glassons at the mall. (You may not know this, but after being diagnosed with something called Reinke’s edema her voice is deeper, huskier – she blames the stress of her house burning down in the Malibu fires.)

Anyway. As I started to think about houses for this issue I kept coming back to the idea of being together, and being together in the sun, and of how healing that is. I’m writing this in bed – I’ve spent much of this deadline battling post-Covid fatigue (first-time caller!), yet another head cold and, frankly, a general sense of being very tired. I’m done with this year – and it seems to be a common sentiment.

As the houses came together, we realised they were all near water, or played with the idea of water, and they all got lots of sun. Some are baches and some are permanent homes, but they all have a sense of retreat. They’re soothing, great for a party – and wonderful places to bring people together. Because I think that does help you recover.

Miley’s chart-topper aside, there’s another set of songs on high rotate at ours as well: my old mate Hudge has made a series of playlists to accompany the issue. Taking in jazz, hip hop, Queen and – yes – Whitney, it’s a perfect companion to the summer and those wonderful retreats. Just open Spotify and scan the QR code that accompanies each story to listen while you read.

So, wherever you are, whoever you’re with and whatever you’re listening to, I hope you get time for reflection and a nap or two. I certainly plan to.