Kraak & Smaak

Formed in the early 2000s in Leiden, Netherlands, Kraak & Smaak brings together producers Oscar de Jong, Wim Plug and Mark Kneppers around an electronic project deeply rooted in funk, soul and club culture. The trio developed a sound that blends nu‑disco, house, broken beat and electronic pop, with a strong taste for organic grooves, melodic bass lines and guest soul vocalists. After several maxi singles on the British label Jalapeno Records, Kraak & Smaak drew attention with the album Boogie Angst in 2005, followed by Plastic People in 2008 and Electric Hustle in 2011, which established a hybrid aesthetic between studio production and live‑band energy. Subsequent releases — Chrome Waves (2013), Juicy Fruit (2016), Pleasure Centre (2019) and Scirocco (2023) — extended this approach by increasing vocal collaborations, notably with Ben Westbeech, Lee Fields and Romanthony, and by exploring both downtempo moods and dancefloor‑oriented formats. Alongside tours as a live band across club and festival stages in Europe and North America, Kraak & Smaak developed their own Boogie Angst label, which became the base for numerous productions and remixes, while continuing a steady schedule of DJ sets centered on their funk, disco and house influences.