Summer mixes are right for anytime.  We spent a few weeks listening and debating on songs that make us think of summer, and we’ve finally narrowed the list down to a 15 song mixtape.

We do share and we’ve made it available for you. Click here to download the mixtape, and for a detailed song guide, read on!

Lykke Li – Dance Dance Dance

First up is Lykke Li, who has recently created such a large buzz in the industry.  All the way from Stockholm, Sweden, the soft and angelic-voiced artist, released her wonderful debut album, Youth Novels in May. Produced by Bjorn Yttling of Peter, Bjorn, and John, it’s not surprise that the record was so successful. Lykke Li’s music has been said to be a mix of electro and  “powdered-sugar pop,” which is clearly illustrated in “Dance Dance Dance,” a “chilled-out” tune perfect to start our summer mix!

You can buy Youth Novels here.

MGMT – Electric Feel

MGMT, or The Management, come from Brooklyn and formed while at Wesleyan University. The band exploded after opening for appraised artist Of Montreal and from then have earned the titles of Artist of the Day and Artist to Watch by several media outlets (Spin, BBC, Rolling Stone). Their debut album Oracular Spectacular, released on Jan 22 (my birthday!), is much more of a summer album than winter album. “Electric Feel” completely fits on our playlist with such a great Electric summer vibe.

Watch the jungle dance party-themed music video here and don’t miss them on July 27th at the McCarren Park Pool!

Tokyo Police Club – Juno

The Canadian four-some known as Tokyo Police Club have only been around for a few years, but have created much buzz in the industry. Surrounded with great fellow artists on Saddle Creek Records (Bright Eyes, Cursive, The Good Life), there’s no wonder why they’re so good! Off their new album,Elephant Shell, is “Juno,” a tune perfect for a cross country road trip. So grab your old shoddy car, a few friends, and a pair of shades, and drive off into the sunset with TPC’s Juno.

Tokyo Police Club is playing at Webster Hall on October 18th.

The Ting Tings – Great DJ

Their single, “Shut Up and Let Me Go,” has been circulating throughout the media via Apple ads, and similar to other artists previously on the Apple roster (Bird and the Bee, CSS, Feist, M.I.A.), The Ting Tings have been getting lots of hype. (Speaking of hype, they’ve been on the Hype Machine’s popular list for weeks)! “Great DJ,” off their new album, We Started Nothing (just released this month!), is sure to be a big summer hit.

Watch their video for Shut Up and Let Me Go, which debuted on MTV this week!

Estelle feat. Kanye West – American Boy

Let me admit: I’m totally obsessed. Last summer’s hot R&B song was “Umbrella.” It was on the tip of everyone’s tongue, Jay-Z was featured in it, and it was sung by a sexy bobbed sistah, Rihanna. This summer it’s all about “American Boy,” by Estelle featuring Kanye (both absolutely comparable to Rihanna and Jay-Z), and it is soon to be the hottest song like it’s predecessor. It’s syncopated melodies and chill beats will make your shoulders bob and toes tap.

Watch Estelle’s shoulders and toes in the official video for the song, and pick up her album, Shine, on Amazon.

A Tribe Called Quest – Check the Rhyme

Throwback from ’91. Lets kick it back a few years to a 90’s revolution. With Nas and Wu-tang, A Tribe Called Quest created a movement of East-side urban love and hip-hop. Ok that’s great and all, but why do they deserve a spot on our highly valued summer mix tape? Because thier beats remind us of hot humid summer day on the concrete of our very own New York City. “Check The Rhyme” perfectly balances rap and jazz, and is one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time.

You can find A Tribe Called Quest this summer on the soundtrack of The Wackness (with Josh Peck, Sir Ben Kingsley, and Method Man coming out July 3rd) and on stage at Rock The Bells with fellow mixtape artist Santogold.

Gnarls Barkley – Going On

It’s been two years since Gnarls Barkley hit the music scene with “Crazy.” The duo could have been a one-hit wonder, but they defied that earlier this year with the single “Run,” off their new album, The Odd Couple. The second single, “Going On” begins with a slow dreamy guitar melody and quickly switches to an upbeat and has scored a spot on the Top 100 Singles chart.

Buy The Odd Couple here and don’t forget to check out the music video (beware of the sweet dance moves)!

Santogold – Creator

Santogold has been taking the indie world by storm over past few months and absolutely deserves to make this list. She’s the perfect balance between Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and fellow pal, M.I.A., but still manages to keep her music style unique from both. Santogold, a City of Love native, has been named Artist to Watch in 2008 by BBC, Rolling Stone, and Spin. And if that isn’t enough street cred, she also holds a spot on Mark Ronson‘s album, Version, along with Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen. Santogold’s “Creator’s” crazy beats will get you up and dancing throughout the wild summer nights.

Watch her perform live on Fadar TV and make sure you get the self-titled album!

The Kills – Sour Cherry

As a lover of all things rocker, “Sour Cherry,” along with the rest of The Kills‘ new album (my favorite album of the year yet) really hits the spot. Midnight Boom is the British duo’s (Alison “VV” Mosshart and Jamie “Hotel” Hince) third album and their best album yet with it’s sexy beats and sexy vocals. “Sour Cherry” was recently featured in CW’s Gossip Girl series advertising campaign, which was all about lust and drama. The single totally embodies a wild and sweaty summer night full of beer, messy hair, and sexy scandals.

Watch them playing live at SXSW on YouTube and pick up Midnight Boom.

Architecture in Helsinki – The Owls Go

4-3-2-1 All the way from Melbourne, Austrailia comes Architecture in Helsinki. Not a usual drums/bass/guitar/vocals band, they use many different instruments like handclaps, glockenspiels, recorders, and synths. “The Owls Go,” like many of their songs is centered around a fun vibe. Think kids, bubbles, and hopscotch.

Check out live videos of them on La Blogotheque by clicking here.

Astrud Gilberto – Girl from Impanema

Lets take it down a notch to a relaxing jazz standard. Astrud Gilberto‘s beautiful saxophone vocals mixed with Stan Getz‘s beautiful saxophone instrumentals create a lovely Brazillian bossa nova, in fact, the first bossa nova single ever. “Girl from Ipanema” takes you back to the 1960s, laying out on the beach with a tropical cocktail.

Watch the 1967 music video here.

The Submarines – Sub Symphonika

The Submarines is an indie pop band that includes John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard. The duo is from LA, and their music is reflectant upon that. The first time I heard “Sub Symphonika” was this past spring. I remember listening to the song, longing for the bright summer days to come along so that I could dance through a field of sunflowers, bunnies, and happiness. Maybe I took it too far, but now that summer’s here, the dream-sequence filled song has been on repeat and is a definate must on everyone’s playlists.

You can listen to more songs off Honeysuckle Weeks by buying the album here, and watch them play live at the Echo on YouTube.

Mates of State – You Are Free

This duo is known for their boy/girl harmonies. All the way from Kansas, Mates of State write songs that make you jump around and play. Sounds like something kids would like, right? Interestingly, they were recently guests on the Nickeleon show, Yo Gabba Gabba (which is hilariously entertaining, I must say). I know you are all anticipating the day of the episode airing, but in the mean time, read about it here!

You also don’t want to miss their album, Re-Arrange Us, which dropped last month.

Devendra Banhart – Cristobal

Devendra Banhart comes in with perfect timing to wind things down. After almost an hour of road tripping, playing in fields, and raving the night away, this is the point in time when you’re walking home with your good friends, reflecting on the event-filled day that just happened. The equally crazy and beautiful Devendra plays the “psych folk” single, “Cristobal,” that will make you lay in your neighbor’s lawn, and sleep under the stars for a while.

“Cristobal” is the first single off his newest album, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon, which you can get here.

Telepopmusik – Breathe

Much thought was put into the sequence of the songs on our summer mixtape. The start had to be perfect, leading into a crescendo and decrescendo of beats and feelings, and the end had to make you tingle. This is why we chose Telepopmusik to close. This French group creates eerie, cloudy music perfect for an evening walk through a shadowy abandoned park. The static-y, mysterious voice at the start of “Breathe” (off the album Genetic World) leads into a warm (yet cool at the same time) trance of electro beats that will linger with you for hours. Perfect for the end of our mix.

Watch the video here.

Be sure to download the full summer mixtape by clicking here, and stay tuned for more PLANT mixtapes!

TREND: Everything! Today’s hott music has moved out of the Major label pop and hip hop to the Independent label everything! All genres are exposed today, and new ones generated with good reception.

SEE: Watch music videos for many of our summer tunes on our YouTube playlist.

FOR SALE: Purchase all albums through our Listmania! list on Amazon.

EXPERIENCE: See when all your favorite bands are playing in your location by syncing your iTunes to iConcertCal, a simple application for both Windows and Mac.

ONLINE HIGH: The Hype Machine: A compilation of mp3 blogs. Discover, listen, and buy music!

Post by Felicia Chen