Kraak & Smaak (Jalapeno Records)

DJ & Live
Style: Breaks, Electro, Funk, House, Nu Funk,

Heineken, Van Gogh, Kraak & Smaak. The three most famous things to come out of Holland. Ever. In that order. Ok so maybe a bit of an exaggeration but the last couple of years have been an incredible ride for the Dutch producer trio, and as djs and band.

After dropping a number of now heavily sought after 12”s from 2003 onwards, in 2006 they released their debut album Boogie Angst, which led to worldwide support from the funk and electronic community. Radio tastemakers like Annie Nightingale and Pete Tong in the UK and Jason Bentley in LA followed suit, which meant that there was a global demand for their sound and so their UK label Jalapeno quickly did deals with in the US, Benelux and Japan to make sure they worked with the best independent networks in the world.

In 2008 they released their second album Plastic People, which gave them the worldwide hit Squeeze Me, featuring one of their favourite UK vocalists, Ben Westbeech. Picked up by the international breakdance community, it sold 70,000+ downloads in the USA and earned them a live appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, one of the most popular entertainment shows in the USA. Moreover, it was accompanied by the now famous flipbook video that was given mad props by Perez Hilton and Kanye West a.o.:

Perez Hilton on his site: “We’ve got a new anthem y’all!!!!!!!! Say hello to Kraak & Smaak, one of the hottest groups around! Hailing from The Netherlands their music could best be described as Amy Winehouse meets Moby”.

This music video with its flipbook theme, directed by Dutchman Andre Maat, has won numerous international awards and many self-made videos for the track can be found on YouTube. Squeeze Me has since been also released in Italy (Time records, 2009) and Germany (Kontor records, 2010).

In 2009 the EU sponsored European Border Breakers Award (EBBA) was won, alongside acts such as The Ting Tings and Adele (both from the UK), and presented to them at the Eurosonic festival in Groningen, during a television show hosted by Jools Holland.

Kraak & Smaak have also been aided by a string of well-received dancefloor remixes for the likes of Maxwell, Jamiroquai, Fedde le Grand, Don Diablo, Mark Rae, Richard Dorfmeister, Fort Knox Five, Soul of Man, Junkie XL, Sam Sparro, All Good Funk Alliance, etc., and over the years have produced guest mixes for BBC's Annie Nightingale, Annie Mac, BBC 6, Hedkandi UK and public radio stations in Holland, Germany, Norway, Greece a.o.

Since releasing their debut album Boogie Angst they have played hundreds of shows in Europe, the US and Australia; rocking the international dancefloors with their energetic dj and live sets that makes them just as happy performing in the tiny basement of a deep funk night as it does dropping huge riffs to festival crowds. Hailed by I-DJ as a “Must see live band”, they’ve supported the stadium-rocking Faithless on their European tour and played some of the most prestigious dj and live gigs in the USA including Movement Detroit Electronic Music Festival, Coachella, SXSW, Wakarusa, Miami Winter Music Conference as well as playing headline sell-out gigs on the West and East Coast on their last tour. In Australia they toured twice, including playing at the Good Vibrations festival; in the UK the boys have rocked shows for club nights like AIR, Fingerlickin’ and Chew The Fat, Breakspoll and the Glastonbury, Bloom, Lovebox and Big Chill festivals. Other European shows up until now have included Pinkpop, Dance Valley, Sziget, Lowlands and 10 days Off.

Currently they guys are working on fresh new club singles and a full album, planned for release in 2010.

first live rehearsal of new track 'Dynamite', to be released soon

unoffical upload onto youtube of original

a very, very well made 'alternative' video for Squeeze Me


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discographie:

Albums:
Boogie Angst (2005, Jalapeno, UK)
Boogie Angst (2006, KSR, Japan)
Boogie Angst (2006, Jalapeno UK / P.I.A.S., Benelux, 2 x cd) Boogie Angst (2006, Quango, USA)
The Remix Sessions (2007, Jalapeno, UK)
The Remix Sessions (2007, Quango, USA)
Plastic People (2008, Jalapeno, UK)
Plastic People (2008, PIAS, Benelux)
Plastic People (2008, Ultra, USA)
Plastic People (2008, Traffic, Japan)

Singles & EP’s:
Plastic People (2008, Jalapeno UK, 12”)
Squeeze Me 12” #1 (2008, Jalapeno UK)
Squeeze Me 12” #2 (2008, Jalapeno UK)
Squeeze Me (cds Jalapeno UK)
That’s Our Word EP (2008, Jalapeno UK)
Funk Ass Rotator EP (2007, Jalapeno UK)
No Sun in the Sky EP (2007, Jalapeno UK, Quango USA)
Keep me Home EP (12”/ cds, 2006; Jalapeno UK, Quango, PIAS) Bacardi Bat Beats EP - Kraak & Smaak (2006, Bacardi NL)
One of these Days EP (2005, Jalapeno UK)
Money in the Bag Remixes EP (2005, Jalapeno UK)
Say Yeah EP (2004, Jalapeno UK)
Set Fire to the Disco EP (2004, Jalapeno UK)
Keep on Searching EP (2003, Jalapeno UK)
Money in the Bag EP (12”/cds, 2003, Jalapeno UK)

Remixes:
Sam Sparro – 21st Century Life (Kraak & Smaak remix) (2008, Island)
Junkie XL – More (More or less Kraak & Smaak remix) (2007, Nettwerk USA)
Junkie XL – More (Kraak & Smaak Let’s get stupid remix) (2007, Nettwerk USA)
Rose – Shame (Kraak & Smaak remix) (2007, Red Ink / Sony NL) Soul of Man – Suk Dat (Kraak & Smaak Suk on Dat remix) (2007, Fingerlickin’ UK)
Soul of Man – Suk Dis (Kraak & Smaak Suk on Dis remix) (2007, Fingerlickin’ UK)
Sonik-Omi – Heeron ka Chor (Kraak & Smaak push the button remix) (2007, Bombay Connection, NL)
Fort Knox Five – Learning it the hard way (Kraak & Smaak remix) (2007, Fort Knox USA)
Richard Dorfmeister vs MDLA – Boogie No More (Kraak & Smaak remix) (2007, G-Stone, Austria)
Lack of Afro – Wait a Minute (2006, Freestyle Records, UK) Zeroleen – All Good (2006, Quango USA)
Bitter:Sweet – The Mating Game (2006, Quango USA)
Jamiroquai – Electric Mistress (2005, Sony)
Chris Joss – Take Part in that Show (2005, ESL Music USA) Jamiroquai – Seven Days in Seven June (2005, Sony)
Resin Dogs – She’s Gone (2005, Jalapeno UK)
Skeewiff – Man of Constant Sorrow (2005, Jalapeno UK)
Mimezine – Can’t get Enough (2005, Electric Co. NL)
Max Sedgley – Devil Inside (2005, Sunday Best UK)
Mark Rae – Medicine (2004, Grand Central UK)
Ikon – Do you dream? (2004, Jalapeno UK)
Karl Moestl – Love is my Religion (2004, Mouth to Mouth Music, Austria)
Ikon – The Dove (2003, Jalapeno UK)

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