This is it, folks. The 2010 spring semester is almost at an end. That means the Herald is about to do the student thing and take a summer hiatus. It also means that for a while, “Paper Radio” will be off the air.

Coming up with an appropriate playlist isn’t easy when you look at it as the culmination of it all. A “goodbye” playlist would be a little too hokey. Besides, this is more like a “see you later.” And honestly, a Mifflin party playlist would just be redundant. What about a finals week study playlist? Two words: cop out. Another two: buzz kill.

In search of inspiration, I took to the streets – State Street, to be precise. Soon enough, I arrived at Library Mall, taking in the sun to the pounding rhythm of a djembe duet, the two drummers playing off one another and creating a backdrop to the midday bustle. Despite the African roots of the djembe, they sounded oddly at home in this concrete jungle of sorts.

Heading back in the direction of the Capitol, hardly a block went by where music was out of earshot. This varied from in-store tunes to busk performers. In the busk, the musicians ranged from a bluegrass trio to a solo sax, with plenty of acoustic guitars in between.

The point here is music is everywhere in Madison and in any city, for that matter. Headphones and iPods are great, but the real playlist of the summer is going on right now, all around, maybe with a couple of hand drums as its heartbeat.

This week’s playlist started out as a tribute to those drummers and musicians on the sidewalks, but it ended up taking its own direction toward world music, albeit a minor cross-section. It’s something to get you started on a city walk, destination: anywhere. If you get tired of these songs, simply unplug yourself and listen to the eclectic sounds of the city.

“Dance in a Triangle” – Incubus

Normally, a triangle isn’t the first shape I’d associate with dancing. Would a circle be more appropriate? Then again, normally you wouldn’t expect Incubus to churn out an ethnic beauty like this.

It’s a simple track, featuring little more than a few hand drums and some reverb for authenticity. Simple, yet powerful, you can keep it on low volume for background tunes, or turn it up and slip into a shamanic meditation.

As the opener for the list, it should introduce some quality rhythm familiar to State Street (of all places) and prime your ears for the underlying unity throughout the rest of the list.

“The Obvious Child” – Paul Simon

After his split with Art Garfunkel in 1970, Paul Simon was more than ready to experiment with some new collaborators. You had better believe he left no road untraveled as he teamed up with musicians from around the world.

To keep with the flow from the previous track, “Obvious Child” opens with a summons of tribal vibrations that effectively transport the listener to Salvador. Afro-Brazilian percussionists steal the show with intensity, but they are happy to share the stage.

Simon’s vocal melodies and light guitar are secondary elements to the percussion. However, he maintains some ground as an exceptionally close second, as the song progresses. The end result is an uplifting, pensive track that resembles a multi-cultural jam session. And really, that’s exactly what it is.

“Feelin’ Alright” – Joe Cocker

Joe Cocker is known in part for his cover songs and for good reason. He does more than reproduce a song verbatim. Like any good cover artist, he injects his own flavor, in this case by revamping an under-produced (but good for its time) Traffic song. Along with a bright piano, Cocker commands attention with his passion-scratch vocals.

Although it holds onto the city rhythm preciously described, “Feelin’ Alright” is otherwise a far leap from the airy tone of Paul Simon. The mood here is thick and forceful, but not forced. It can be an awakening that is anything but rude.

“White Flag” – Gorillaz

A loose drum intro should make it immediately clear how the Gorillaz wound up on this playlist. But wait for it, there is more than meets the ear.

Picture this: you’re on the sidewalk, grooving to a soul musician that cost you optional pocket change to see. What a deal. Wandering across the street, a funky trip-hop beat floods your ears, pumping out of an open door record store. You enter, of course, while the music from outside follows. Depending on your relative location to the storefront, the live music from outdoors trades lead roles with the indoor speaker tones. Somehow, it sounds pretty good.

That is how you make a live-action remix. In this track, however, the in-store footwork has been taken care of. All you have to do is listen to the smooth blends of quirky London emcees Bashy and Kano against the Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music, put together by a crew of animated primates.

“Ah Ndiya” – B?la Fleck

Finally, we have here another case of an American artist going international. Destination: Africa. Supplies: one banjo, handled by a master of the instrument, B?la Fleck. The banjo guru took some time outside the U.S. to explore the land that spawned his art form and jam with the locals. He also helped create a documentary of his travels.

Whatever you take from the song, note how it holds you in with atypical song structure, at least by Western standards. There is no verse-chorus-verse formula to hang onto, just the natural, unpredictable flow of music in the making. And with a banjo of all things, a staple of American folk that apparently traces its roots back to the very Africans Fleck plays with. I have to wonder if the banjo has a mirror effect to Africans of drum circles to Madisonians.

Joe Nistler ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in Italian and journalism.