Sounds of Summer

'Tis the season for gatherings of all sorts, from backyard brunches and posh picnics to cooling drinks-Dos and jaunty June dinner parties. Of course you'll need tunes to enhance said functions, and following our tradition Cafe Drake has a few suggestions for the perfect sounds for a midsummer's night (or lazy afternoon) in 2007:

Subtle produces hip hop for brainiacs and their EP The Mercury Craze is as silvery cool as the title implies; pair them the various artists compilation Apres Ski for Lovers for tunes to beat the heat at your next cocktail party. Our own neighborhood is also the home of The National, and we've got the latest release, Boxer, on heavy rotation, from pre-dinner warm-up to post-dining chill-out. Longtime favorites at Cafe Drake, Of Montreal, continue to push the levels of productivity, always with success, as in the new EP Icons, Abstract Thee. More quirky charm of a spooky, meditative nature can be found on Metallic Falcon's debut CD, Desert Doughnuts; helmed by Sierra Cassidy of CocoRosie, the M. Falcons are best suited to guests with open minds and bottomless wine glasses. Would you invite any other sort to your home?

Too young to remember the 1980s, Patrick Wolf channels the sound of New Romantic staples like Japan and Visage, but full of contemporary flair. YouTube ALL his videos and purchase Accident & Emergency for your next dinner/dance soiree. Chairs will push back and attitudes will be on display as well for the groove-heavy similarly retro stylings of Johnny Dark (score the multiple remixes of the single "Never Happened" for the coolest midnight picnic of the summer).

Other tracks we're pushing in June 2007 are: The Blow's latest single "Parantheses" and a new EP from Suburban Kids with Biblical Names, Loop Duplicate My Heart; the stellar compilation from Defend Music Go Commando with JDH and Dave P; and singles by Tracy and the Plastics (the aptly named "Summer Luv") and Le Tigre ("Revolt"). Rufus Wainwright's most recent release, Release the Stars, is also great lush fun and perfect pop-opera for supper with your most dramatic friends.