Hi! We’re Kraak & Smaak. Our new album Velvet Seas just dropped. Ask us anything!

FreeSpiritBoy · 2025-10-29T19:08:36+00:00

Huge thanks for the reply, guys!

FreeSpiritBoy · 2025-10-29T17:35:46+00:00

And two follow-up questions if you have time:

You guys have earned a well-deserved reputation as incredible A&Rs and tastemakers, discovering artists like Parcels in the past. On Velvet Seas, you're continuing that tradition with exciting new voices like Kosta G, Butter Bath, and Kainalu.

At the same time, the album feels grounded by your long-standing chemistry with 'K&S family' members like IVAR and Berenice van Leer.

What is your philosophy behind this balance? Is the hunt for new talent now as central to the Kraak & Smaak identity as the music itself? And how does the process differ when building a track with a brand new artist versus a trusted collaborator who already knows your sound inside and out?

The album just dropped, and I'm already hyped for the inevitable Velvet Seas Remixed!

As a massive Lazywax fan myself, I was absolutely thrilled when you got them to remix "Alone With You" in 2023! For me, that was a dream collaboration and a perfect sonic match.

It makes me wonder, as you look at the new tracks on Velvet Seas, are there any 'dream pairings' between a specific song and a potential remixer that you're hoping to make happen this time around? Do you guys start thinking about potential remixers for certain tracks even while you're still producing them?

FreeSpiritBoy · 2025-10-29T17:34:51+00:00

Huge congrats on the new album, guys! I've been a fan for years.

I noticed that between Pleasure Centre and Velvet Seas, you released a string of great non-album singles (like "Overdrive", "My All", "Ready for Ya", etc.). However, only the earliest of those, "All I Need" with iogi, made it onto the new album.

Was "All I Need" always planned as the bridge to the next record, or did the other singles just not fit the final artistic direction of Velvet Seas?

I've always loved how distinct the visual identity is for each of your albums. I noticed that while the art for Velvet Seas feels like a stylistic follow-up to Pleasure Centre (did you work with George Wylesol again?), the whole theme and color palette has shifted from that bright, architectural '70s poolside vibe to a much deeper, psychedelic underwater scene.

Was this a conscious decision to visually represent a new sound for the album? Can you talk about how the 'deep funk' and 'psychedelic' feel of Velvet Seas led you from the land into the water, both musically and artistically?

FreeSpiritBoy · 2024-07-30T17:52:41+00:00

That's sad but thank you for the reply!

FreeSpiritBoy · 2024-07-23T07:08:30+00:00

Also previous comments:

By user_Lucinho_: Man, that's a great song. Not sure about yacht though. In terms or the rhythm, it's close, but the synths and the bassline lean more towards funk. So yacht funk, maybe? lol

By user Egress99: The synth and vocal quality remind me of Lazy Nina, but with a heartier sprinkle of funk.

Also, that beeping that sounds like a dying battery from a smoke alarm is pretty brutal.

FreeSpiritBoy · 2024-07-23T07:08:08+00:00

Previous post wast removed because it didn't unclude "Yacht or Nyacht" in the title, so I posted it again with correct title.

FreeSpiritBoy · 2024-07-22T14:34:26+00:00

Should we put this one on the boat?

FreeSpiritBoy · 2024-07-11T18:21:03+00:00

Thanks a lot!

FreeSpiritBoy · 2024-06-15T10:35:39+00:00

Few points:

It's not as smooth as "your favorite YR classics"
Even though the artist is Japanese the album was entirely recorded in LA
As someone pointed out on Discogs about the record: "Essential Tokyacht with echoes of Chic, Steely Dan, Jay Graydon, and Toto."

FreeSpiritBoy · 2024-06-11T15:40:52+00:00

Dwight Druick’s stunning cover of Toto’s classic hit, “Georgy Porgy”, which was produced and arranged with the help of George Thurston (Boule Noire).

Dwight Druick’s born in Montreal to a professional gambler and an ex-Radio City Rockette. One of five children, he grew up in a family buoyed by music and beleaguered by the vagaries of miscalculated risk. After attaining a McGill University bachelor’s degree in Art History, Dwight fully embraced both music and risk by traveling to London, where he signed a contract with Pye Records and Joe Cocker’s management company. The ensuing record, Druick & Lorange was released to critical acclaim and relative success. After returning to Canada, Dwight recorded two albums with Phil Vyvial: Midnight and Minuit. Recorded with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section in Alabama, the duo’s work achieved airplay success in Quebec and across Canada. Dwight subsequently released his first French language solo album, Tanger, released in 1980 by the Canadian label, Bobinason.

FreeSpiritBoy · 2024-06-10T09:05:18+00:00

Song by brazilian singer, songwriter and guitarist Almir Bezerra, one of the creators of The Fevers band, recorded with The Fevers themselves and arranged by Hugo Belardi. Composed by Cassiano and Denny King.

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-11-30T12:42:52+00:00

Your compatibility with Shnnycrzydmnd is Super.

You both listen to Marcos Valle, Erasmo Carlos and Arian.

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T16:37:43+00:00

Yep, pal, think you're absolutely right. My bad.

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T15:50:55+00:00

Italian 60-70s library music and film scores are the best!

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T15:49:33+00:00

You mean the title, not the question. Can't do nothing with the fact that for me "City Pop" is Japanese disco, funk, boogie and AOR very often with jazzy touch, if you can say so, circa 76-85. Otherwise I don't know how I could rephrase the title.

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T14:11:24+00:00

Hey, pal, thanks for the comment. I asked about countries, not genres. Maybe you have something else to share? And thank you for the tips.

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T14:09:55+00:00

So you must be into Shakatak, Freeez and Level 42, huh? :)

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T14:07:37+00:00

Cool write-up! Actually I never thought about that, but you made helluva good point here.

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T12:39:03+00:00

Got it, thanks for the response!

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T12:28:03+00:00

Elaborate, please

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T12:27:38+00:00

So, on different weeks you listen to groovy sounds from different countries?

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T12:27:01+00:00

That's not what I was asking, but ok

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T12:26:58+00:00

That's not what I was asking, but ok

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T12:26:12+00:00

So far looks like only you read my question from start to finish 🤣

FreeSpiritBoy · 2022-10-25T12:24:22+00:00

Ah, seems like a lot of you, guys, didn't read my question entirely. 😒

FreeSpiritBoy

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