Performing at Playground Weekender 2011

It's hard to imagine a sweeter confluence of arcadian bliss and man-made grooves than the Playground Weekender event, established over the last half-decade in a rustic riverside wonderland not too far north of Sydney. The handpicked roster dials up the euphoria, mixes up the mellow, and factors in the funk, so that England's Doves scrape the sky with "There Goes the Fear" from 2002's excellent album The Last Broadcast, Kool & the Gang return us to the dawn of the '80s with the bright and breezy "Get Down On It," and Caribou — Canada's Dan Snaith — takes electronica to the edge with "Leave House," from 2010's Swim.

Dubsters and mod girls meet within the borders of our Playground Weekender Next Steps.

It's amazing the stuff you can find down by the Hawkesbury River during the third weekend of February 2011 . . . Swinging it back to the '60s, with a fresh girl-mod twist and the production touch of Amy Winehouse collaborator Mark Ronson, is Los Angeles all-female four-piece the Like ("He's Not a Boy"), while experimental folk outfit Tunng takes us to the barnyard via the antique shop with "Hustle" from 2010's . . . And Then We Saw Land. North-Western English alt-rockers I Am Kloot deliver jangle for connoisseurs with "Northern Skies" from 2010 highlight Sky at Night, and the Mad Professor opens the sluice gates of summer dub with "Love & Fire."

The next great Australian band might just be lurking in Deep Cuts.

Along with the many exotic visitors from far-off lands, Playground Weekender 2011 is filled to its gills with homegrown talent, some of which we've injected into this Deep Cuts selection — Sydney six-piece Magnetic Heads appear to be on the verge of something really special, judging by their late-2010 debut EP, You Will Tear Down Everything That Stands in Your Way: if Jonathon Miller's vocal on "What Is It" doesn't beguile you, those clouds of gently rolling brass surely will. NSW's Betty Airs describe their noise as '50s Italian pop-grunge, which may sound impossible, but makes perfect sense once you've wrapped your ears around "Standing/Waiting."

Verdant bushland, the Hawkesbury River, the warm embrace of the sun, and a raft of great tunes tailored to the age-old pursuit of summer fun — that's what the Playground Weekender festival is all about, and much more besides (fancy dress, Club Tropicana Swimming Pool) as the event enters its fifth year with a lineup that bridges the gaps between rich eclecticism, mellow chillout, and unrestrained jollification. Our selection from the stunning roster includes homegrown heroes and guest artists from all points on the globe, so plug into the Playground 2011 vibe with legendary junglist Tricky — showcasing "Every Day" from his fascinating 2010 album, Mixed Race — soak up the sun-kissed soul of Roy Ayers (the perfectly apt "Everybody Loves the Sunshine"), chart your journey across the night sky with Midnight Juggernauts, and surf downstream on the fuzz chords of You Am I.