In addition to the Critics Poll, Idolator has asked a number of our favorite critics to compile and annotate a CD-R mix of the music that, to them, summed up 2007. Not necessarily their favorites—we specifically noted that their mixes had no obligation to dovetail with their ballots—but stuff that constituted a narrative, told a story you might not necessarily find on a Top 10 list (theirs individually, ours in aggregate). Those mixes will roll out over the next few days. Below, the first batch:

Joshua Alston perfects the art of the slow jamz mix
Andy Battaglia wonders what it means to be an American
Andy Beta focuses on Brooklyn (and everywhere)
J. Gabriel Boylan searches for the revolution
Jalylah Burrell explores the jazz/R&B nexus
Jon Caramanica rounds up some posse cuts
Daphne Carr gets grown and nerdy
Chicago is Mairead Case's kind of town
Chuck Eddy evolves!
Tom Ewing starts some arguments
Tim Finney salutes the nu-Balearica
Dan Gibson has a meaningful talk with his son
Matt Goldenberg will see you in the mosh pit
Eric Grandy throws a blog-house party