Danish four-piece When Saints Go Machine are rad. The sound is just fresh; soothing yet still edgy, one could describe it as a mix of post punk, electronica, dance, and pop. Their debut album, Konkylie, released earlier this year and was recorded over the course of two years, in a remote home in the forest. The peaceful environment lent the group the ability to take meticulous care in recording this album, which is chronicled in the mini documentary above.

Definitely also take a listen to their “Church & Law” and “Add Ends” tracks on the YouTube videos after the jump.

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“Church & Law” and “Add Ends” videos after the jump

Foreign Exchange guitarist Chris Boerner has just released a new project with his own group, The Hot at Nights. The debut album is called Nice Talk and features Boerner playing an 8-string guitar with Matt Douglas on woodwinds and Nick Baglio on drums. Recorded throughout the course of “many sweltering evenings” in Raleigh, North Carolina, The Hot at Nights blend classic jazz improvisation with funk, pop, rock, and of course, your healthy dose of soul. Ready yourself for some groovy instrumental jazz sounds that traverse the globe.

Exclusively at Giant Step, download one of our favorite tracks, “CisforKaddafi,” for free!

The Hot at Nights – “CisforKaddafi” [MP3]
 

Purchase Nice Talk at Chris Boerner Store

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Bay Area producer Elephant & Castle blends dreamy electronic sounds into an ethereal ambient soundscape, amongst many things, apparently. “I Will” / “Sweet Someone” is the single for his upcoming Transitions album (expected early 2012 release); “I Will” will transport you to other dimensions with its echoey sounds and heartfelt choppy vocals, while “Sweet Someone” is a sleepy, swingy tune that’ll have you scavenging for your straw hat and the nearest ranch.

Stream both tracks below and download “I Will” for free.

02 I Will by Plug Research

01 Sweet Someone feat. Aaron Ferguson (Bonus) by Plug Research

Purchase “Sweet Someone” on iTunes

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“Is this the best year for electronic music since the birth of the computer?” A question Gilles Peterson poses to us in all seriousness at the opening of the show. Although he doesn’t verbally give us his own opinion on the question, the beats he goes on to play make a pretty good case in favor of a resounding “yes!” A barrage of standout electronic cuts from this year come in the form of “Far Nearer” by Jamie xx, “With U” by Holy Other, “Brush the Heat” by Little Dragon, and that’s just the beginning.

The episode is dedicated to “people who take risks” with their music as Gilles puts it. It is Part 2 of the Worldwide Winners of 2011, all in all he highlights 50 of the top tracks released this year. And speaking of winners, who’s been on more of a roll this year than SBTRKT, the mask-wearing DJ/Producer from London? His track “Hold On” included in this mix is definitely one of the best thus far. 2011 = #Winning!

Part 1
 

Part 2
 

Listen in Jukebox

More Info & Tracklisting

Tafsiri Sound features remixes of three tracks from Owiny Sigoma Band’s self titled album that dropped this April. “Tafsiri” is the Swahili word for translation and interpretation in the linguistic and lyrical sense. As such, Quantic, Jesse Hackett, and Hello Skinny take us to new realms with their personal takes on “Doyoi Nyajo Nam,” “Margaret Okudo,” and “Owegi Owandho,” respectively.

Stream the sampler below and take a listen!

Owiny Sigoma Band – Tafsiri Sound 12″ by Brownswood

Purchase Tafsiri Sound on iTunes | Amazon | Brownswood Store (12″)

Purchase Owiny Sigoma Band on iTunes | Amazon

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Trackademicks presents The Liner Notes: “Face The Music” w/ Teedra Moses from HNRL on Vimeo.

At the beginning of this year, quiet bay area production beast Trackademicks finally dropped his debut album, State of the Arts. Earlier this month, he shared the latest video from his “Liner Notes” series profiling State Of The Arts guest vocalist, Teedra Moses, who featured on “Face The Music.” Hear stories about how Track and Teedra met and how they continue to inspire each other as not only colleagues, but also as longtime friends.

Purchase State of the Arts on iTunes | Amazon

Purchase the limited edition Book/2CD Deluxe Package on Bandcamp

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The countdown for Van Hunt’s September 27th What Were You Hoping For? album release continues. The latest free track for download is “The Savage, Sincere L of P,” which can be translated to “the savage, sincere look of pleasure.” Make sure to brace yourself for some serious screaming from the souled out rockstar – Van is in the zone. Download by entering your email address below!

For all those that have seen a Van Hunt show, you know you’ll want to catch him on his tour that starts September 19th!

Tour dates after the jump

Australian music producer Dr. Don Don (formerly known as Chasm) recently released a pretty awesome track entitled “King of the Stars.” The song features a sample from the classic Motown record, “I’ll Try Something New” by Diana Ross & The Supremes featuring The Temptations. Interesting to see the light and smooth soulful house track juxtaposed against a quirky video with face painted guys skateboarding and fooling around. Certainly don’t judge a book by it’s cover! Great stuff.

Purchase “King of the Stars” on iTunes | Amazon

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Quantic is that dude. In celebration of his upcoming release, The Best Of Quantic, he’s offering a free download of his “Transatlantic” single. The project will highlight the artist’s incredibly impressive range of works since his signing with Tru Thoughts a decade ago as well as three exclusive new tracks! The Best of Quantic will release September 13th in the US.

Download by filling out your email address in the widget below.

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