So, it’s only February, but it’s 70 degrees out there. Spring is here or coming here. Snow is gone or getting gone. SXSW is not here, but coming (there, actually).

In short, the hibernating is ending, and people are dropping tons of music on me, which I am about to unload on you guys in the form of a mixtape. Remember when it used to be illegal to post MP3s on blogs? Now people ask me to do it. Time moves fast.

The OKS “Fake Springs Suck, So Here’s to Hoping It’s Real” Mix (click title to download full mix as a 155mb .zip)
1.    “Wolves and Bells” — Storms. This icy acoustic track is a good place to start, as we move from winter to spring.
2.    “I Can Be One” — Luke Rathborne. Melancholic beauty, like opening your eyes after sleeping ...
3.    “Colossus” — Lightning Bolt. …and then you distort your guitar, cause ‘getting out of bed sucks.
4.    “Heart Attack” — Lovett. Frantic rock ’n’ roll.
5.    “Kim Kardashian” — Rocky Business. Infectious dance track from the first band to get a second MP3 on OKS. Also has a culture-skewing video that begs for a Chuck Klosterman analysis.
6.    “Equestrian (Flosstradamus Remix)” — US Royalty. Caribbean-ized and dance-floor ready, you’d never guess that this used to be a pastoral folk tune.
7.    “Would You Say Stop?” — Acid House Kings. No, I wouldn’t.
8.    “The Kite” — The Sound of Growing Up. Judging by the sneering vocals and pop-punk approach to the piano, these kids have a ways to go.
9.    “Fugefat” — The Octopus Project. The most optimistic instrumental band ever.
10. “Last Night at the Jetty” — Panda Bear. Never been a big Animal Collective fan, but this lucid, optimistic jam from the AC member screams spring.
11. “Secret Serf” — Tape Deck Mountain. Chillwave to ease back on a green, green hillside to.

photo Octopus Project