A playlist of the best for your summer mix

13. "Sounds Like Life to Me," Darryl Worley. Summertime isn't all fun and games. Country singer Darryl Worley made a name for himself back in '03 with "Have You Forgotten," evoking Sept. 11. These days, his mood is more somber than his party-hearty brethren on the country charts. The C&W philosopher advises a buddy to get used to the hard times, 'cause "the only thing certain is uncertainty."

14. "Please Don't Leave Me," Pink. Doylestown's own Alecia Moore has made a career of getting up in people's faces with aggro-pop hit singles like "U & Ur Hand" and "Leave Me Alone." Here, she sounds chastened, wondering, "How did I become so obnoxious?" Her pop instincts are intact, however, and the springy tune ought to give her another hit, to go along with an image-softening.

15. "Pretty Wings," Maxwell. Back after an eight-year absence with BLACKsummers'night, which comes out Tuesday, sensitive love-man Maxwell Rivera remains a class act. The natty dresser demonstrates that his seduction technique is undiminished. He'll be at the Borgata in Atlantic City on July 24.

16. "From My Heart to Yours," Laura Izibor. Aretha Franklin and Al Green are said to be fans of 22-year-old black Irish singer Laura Izibor, who was raised in Dublin and is of Nigerian descent. The reasons are apparent on this Grey's Anatomy-tested first single. Izibor is a soulful, smoky vocalist, and she carries herself with an easy swagger over a beat just modern enough to keep her out of the retro-R&B pigeonhole.

17. "Warm Heart of Africa," The Very Best. As a cred booster, Ezra Koenig, the singer for Afro-pop indie outfit Vampire Weekend, couldn't have beaten this: a collaboration with Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya and Euro-DJ Radioclit that's a sun-dappled authenticity boost that doesn't give up a smidgen of catchiness.

18. "Seya," Oumou Sangare. More traditional but no-less-enticing music from Mali, "Seya" is the title track from the vocalist's sinuous and ebullient fifth album. It's ready to stand up to Amadou & Mariam's more Western-leaning Welcome to Mali as the African album of the year.

19. "Stillness is the Move," Dirty Projectors. Inventive combo of indie, R&B, and African influences that's a gleaming, percolating highlight from the Brooklyn band's Bitte Orca and makes excellent use of singer Amber Coffman's agile soprano.

20. "I Wanna Be Where You Are," Erykah Badu with the Roots. Superbly understated cover (taken from Michael Jackson's first solo album, 1972) was recorded during Late Night with Jimmy Fallon rehearsals the day after Jackson's death. You can't buy it, but you can download it from ?uestlove's Twitter feed at twitter.com/QuestLove. The Roots play the Borgata July 24; Badu is at the House of Blues on Aug. 6 in Atlantic City.

Hear Dan DeLuca's summer mix at his blog, "In the Mix,"

at www.philly.com/philly/blogs/ inthemix

Contact music critic Dan DeLuca at 215-854-5628 or ddeluca@phillynews.com.