Album Review: Kraak and Smaak - No sun in the sky :: Wessex Scene Online

Album Review: Kraak and Smaak - No sun in the sky

2nd February 2007
Toby Day

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For many people Kraak and Smaak is an addiction that’s hard to shake and when you’re talking about the funk phenomenon from the Netherlands that has been winning over audiences across the continent with their energy charged live shows the same is definitely true.

Kraak and Smaak is the ever so slightly illegal sounding band of Dutchmen Mark Kneppers, Oscar De Jong and Wim Plug. The name comes from a proverb in Dutch and caused some consternation for the young Dutchmen when they realised what they had got themselves into. In Dutch the name doesn’t have a drug context and when people see it written down it’s different but a lot of the time people think we are called crack and smack which we don’t have a problem with but maybe gives them the wrong idea about us says keyboard wiz Oscar De Jong.

Kraak and Smaak formed in 2003 through a series of friendships and chance meetings. Mark and Wim already knew each other from DJ’ing together and were introduced to Oscar by a mutual friend who told them about the keyboard prodigy that was studying at the conservatoire. The trio started working together and sent one of their earliest efforts into the outside world to see if anyone was interested. That track Money in the Bag was picked up by Jalapeno Records who offered the band an album deal. It also landed the K&S crew with a mix on Radio 1 courtesy of early supporter Annie Nightingale. They repaid the courtesy with another DJ mix for Annie in ‘05 which was voted mix of the year and re-run in Radio 1’s best of the year round up.

The band have released several singles off the album Boogie Angst and have had the cream of upcoming and established talent standing in line to do a remix. The Boogie Angst debut album made IDJ album of the month.

So the chance to review their latest offering was immediately accepted. No More Sun in the Sky in its original form is a funk & breaks infused track with the sultry voiced singer pondering as to the lack of sunshine (a familiar problem at the moment). The smoothness and relaxed vibe that flows through the original mix is perfectly balanced by the funky bassline. The remix package is impressive, with remixes from Noogman (heavy breaks mix) and Tom Belton, my favourite remix, a real melodic main room, uplifting cut.

I highly recommend any DJ to add this to their collection. Easily 9/10.

For more information:
www.kraaksmaak.com
or
myspace.com/kraaksmaak