The naked mix as it was meant to be. Eight great tracks, a ninth one to use as you see fit, and an introduction that is done right now.

Tracklist:

1. The Acorn – The Flood Pt. 1 – The naked mix is intended more as a trail mix than a full-fledged mixtape, but when those hard drum beats came, and hand claps followed, I knew “The Flood Pt. 1″ was a perfect opener. Recommended listening session: middle of the day, driving on back roads on your way to the wine vineyards in northern California, hand floating outside the window.

2. Bishop Allen – Click Click Click Click – Every mixtape needs a track you know everyone already loves. Thank you, Bishop Allen, for pushing that sun high into the sky with this radio-friendly pop ditty.

3. Broadcast 2000 – Get Up and Go – I am nothing if not a sucker for indie songs with strings. And xylophone?! Broadcast 2000 has been reading the handbook for my heart. (Andrew Bird, I blame you for sharing my secrets. I thought we had something special!)

4. Bon Iver – Skinny Love – Let’s turn the lights out for a moment. Let’s go out into the night for a moment, and listen to the insects singing softly. Let’s listen to Justin Vernon singing around a low fire, like some austere TV On The Radio, armed with only an acoustic guitar. Let’s see the love and heartbreak dripping from his lips.

5. Tulsa – Mass – Another song to fill that late night air. Pop this one in the tape deck when the sun’s coming up, and your ears aren’t quite ready for anything that doesn’t sound like its covered in grit.

6. Service Group – Summer Sunn – Well, the sun had to rise sometime. And sometimes waking up is like getting into a pool: you need to blast some catchy powerpop and jump right in.

7. Springfactory – Get Out of Bed – Can Sweden do no wrong? I am convinced the sun never sets there, and everyone is raised on a diet of sugar and smiles. (Not like Iceland, which exports mostly post-rock, orchestra, and tears.) Add Springfactory to an ever-growing list of pop wonders coming from the same country that gave us Sondre Lerche and Peter Bjorn and John.

8. Maia Hirasawa – Crackers – And the list grows longer. This year marks Maia’s foray into the spotlight, and I am thankful for it. Consider her Sweden’s response to that Canadian vixen Leslie Feist.

Spare tire:

Band of Horses – Is There a Ghost – Use only if Tulsa is out of commission, or if you are looking for something with a bit more kick at the end to lead into Service Group. You know, like those “organic” alarm clocks that slowly raise the levels of the music and lights to wake you up as Mother Nature intended. Another simile: “Is There a Ghost” is like taking the stairs to ever-so-gently get into the pool, only to have that hot next door neighbor come along a minute later and pull you in.

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