Kraak & Smaak - 'Plastic People' (Jalapeno) Released 21/04/08

You’d almost be forgiven for thinking that Kraak & Smaak was the on stage pseudonym for an unannounced collaboration between Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty; either that or a new brand of breakfast cereal aimed at rock n rolls biggest caners, but you’d be sadly mistaken. Kraak & Smaak isn’t a reference to illicit drugs but has actually been adapted from a Dutch proverb and means crunchy and tasty; and true to their moniker, Dutch trio Wim Plug, Oscar de Jong and Mark Kneppers blend of break-beat delights, as flaunted on their latest album ‘Plastic People’ is enough to give even Kellogs a run for their money.

Although we’ve established the fact that Kraak & Smaak isn’t a reference to illegal substances, there are many analogies that are going begging and the opening two tracks ‘Bobby & Whitney’ and ‘Squeeze Me’ lend themselves perfectly to the fluid beginnings of a debauched Class A weekend in a late night funk ridden bar surrounded by society’s beautiful people. It’s not long before the title track ‘Plastic People’ and ‘Enzo’ dictate and prompt a snap decision to change venue to a claustrophobic basement room, dimly lit by an exposed 40-Watt light bulb.

Before you know it you’ve already greedily dropped the other half you were saving for later and the subtle hallucinations start, something akin to licking a South American Cane Toad and finding rejuvenated shamanic solace deep in the heart of the Amazon. This is perhaps one of the highlights of the album and sees Kraak & Smaak remix Skeewiff’s take on the Dick Burnett folk classic ‘Man Of Constant Sorrow’. It’s a track that has seen many incarnations throughout its 95-year lifespan, but this version is an extremely admirable effort and is swiftly followed by ‘That’s My Word’ featuring the vocal skills of Dudley Perkins. As the album goes on, so does the evening and things soon turn a slightly darker shade of trashed with the soulfully jazzy ‘Cornered’, restrained crescendos of ‘California Roll’ and comedown inducing ‘Thinking Back’.

Just when you think that you might have peaked too early and have opened the door for a world of grey hour filled pain, clarity is once more gracefully restored through the well anchored ‘ll Serpente’, ‘Ready For Life’ and the funk ensconced ‘Ain’t Gonna Take It No More’. The album ends with the majestically structured ‘To Everyone Who Has’, which perfectly provides just closure to Kraak & Smaak’s intelligently crafted journey through the breaks and beats of Holland’s finest.