Kraak & Smaak

Derived from a Dutch proverb meaning "neither here nor there,” Kraak & Smaak becomes more fitting as the album develops. Funk and style consistently pour out of the music but the production trio spread their bets over disco, ’70s rare groove, ’50s Blue Note jazz, samba rhythms and acid jazz. Single release "Money in the Bag” oozes sleaze with its orgasmic moans, funk guitar and impudent cowbell. It sets the tone with pulsing synth stabs and a beat that makes the music naturally irresistible. "One Of These Days” has club anthem written all over it for any set with a soulful twist and an ear for a great vocal line, while "Say Yeah” takes a mellow groove and splices it with punchy horns and a James Brown vocal. For what is fundamentally a jazz breaks album to be getting regular airtime from notable DJs such as Laurent Garnier and Annie Nightingale is a testament to Kraak & Smaak’s distinctive and appealing sound.