Their set-up, combining the club sound of their releases with live musicians and vocalists, turned out to be a musical phenomenon on the Dutch circuit, leading to invitations to play at Europe’s festivals and renowned USA hotspots like SXSW, Coachella, Miami's WMC and New York's CMJ.
The second album 'Plastic People' dropped in 2008, and off that album, the hit single 'Squeeze Me', made for an even more rapid international rise of K&S. The acclaimed UK dance magazine IDJ labelled K&S as a “Must see live act”, together with big guns as the Chemical Brothers, Moby and The Prodigy. The band subsequently performed at the 'holy grail of festivals' Glastonbury in the UK, Lowlands in the Netherlands and again Europe's biggest festival, Sziget. During a five-week live tour across the USA they performed at Jimmy Kimmel's late night show on ABC television and further explicit support came from US Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, who describes K&S as ‘Amy Winehouse meets Moby’. Even Kanye West declared himself a fan! And to top things off, the European Border Breakers Award (EBBA) is won, together with none other than Adele.
In the following years, the upward trend of K&S is continued and solidified with the albums 'Electric Hustle' (2011) and 'Chrome Waves' (2013). A grueling schedule of international touring includes career highlight shows at Detroit Movement, Sziget, Glastonbury and Exit, and key single releases in this period include “Let’s Go Back” which features a superb vocal from the sadly departed Romanthony, The Future Is Yours” (which saw the band hook up a second time with Ben Westbeech who at the time was hitting the top of the charts under his Breach guise), and the soulful “How We Gonna Stop The Time” - an instant club hit that went on to be licensed for release on Axtone Records. New remix work comes through for Moby, Aretha Franklin, Chromatics, and Royksopp, and 2015 sees a one-off single release on Spinnin’ Records.
The 5th album, Juicy Fruit, released in 2016, has seen them returning to the more organic sound of their debut record. As usual it contains some heavyweight collaborations, including Americans Mayer Hawthorne and Eric Biddines, and Australians Parcels and Cleopold to name just a few. In the US, initial support comes from KCRW (Top Tune #1 for ‘Hands of Time’) and a #2 position in the College radio CMJ / RPM charts for I’ Don’t Know Why’ . The latter track, also also gets picked up by the Jimmy Kimmel show band, and the track ’Stumble’ reaches a #1 position in Hype Machine’s Most Popular list.
A string of new international live and dj dates followed, with performances in countries in West- and Eastern-Europe, the Americas and Asia, topping it all off with an extensive tour in the USA and again a live show on 2017’s Glastonbury.
Coinciding with their busy touring schedule Kraak & Smaak have also just released their album “Juicy Fruit Remixed”, with input from Eli Escobar, Fouk, Purple Disco Machine, Moods and Thatmanmonkz among others, to give a new fresh outlook on the tracks by producers they admire.
Moreover, they have found some time to work on new material themselves as well: new singles ‘Hendo’ and 'Scorched' have recently been released on the Exploited and Spinnin' Deep labels, and more is coming later this year for labels such as Future Disco.
Sommeron
Kraak & Smaak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Try sometimes to say the things you couldn't say
The memory will waste away,
wash away all the things you used to hate
Don't blame your insecurity, about me
Don't even talk about me,
Call me when I'm going crazy,
Drunk and high all night, we
Drunk and high all night, we
Drunk and high all night, we
Don't think about me, don't even talk about me
Call me when I'm going crazy,
Power tripping, glowing, we'd be
Drunk and high all night, we
Don't even talk about me
Call me when I'm going crazy,
Power tripping, glowing, we'd be
Drunk and high all night, we
When do you stop be? Become a celebrity?
I need it this toxic thing called sobriety
Sometimes I feel so broke I run out of energy
Sometimes I get so broke I feel worthless
Taking care of everyone that's broken
Searching for peace in the scenes they don't go after
The ego goes right into the beacon of a happy dream
They say the names of your demons,
It feels wrong.
Try sometimes to say the things you couldn't say
The memory will waste away,
wash away all the things you used to hate
Don't blame your insecurity, about me
Don't even talk about me,
Call me when I'm going crazy,
Power tripping, glowing, we'd be
Drunk and high all night, we
Drunk and high all night, we
Drunk and high all night, we
The lyrics to Kraak & Smaak's song "Sommeron" are complex and thought-provoking. The song seems to be about the struggle to be oneself in a world that constantly demands conformity. The opening line, "Try sometimes to say the things you couldn't say" suggests that the singer is holding back their true feelings, perhaps out of fear of judgment or rejection. The memory "wasting away" and "washing away" all the things that they once hated suggests that the singer is trying to move on from past traumas or negative experiences.
The line "Don't even talk about me" suggests that the singer is tired of other people discussing them behind their back or making assumptions about who they are. The reference to being "drunk and high all night" could be seen as a metaphor for escaping reality and the pressures of daily life. The repetition of this line throughout the song suggests that the singer is longing for a carefree existence, free from the expectations of others.
The chorus also touches upon themes of addiction, with the line "I need this toxic thing called sobriety" suggesting that the singer is struggling to find balance in their life. The reference to taking care of everyone else who is "broken" suggests that the singer may be neglecting their own needs in order to help others, further adding to their sense of exhaustion and feeling "broke".
Overall, "Sommeron" is a powerful and introspective song about the struggles of being true to oneself in a world that is often hostile to individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
Try sometimes to say the things you couldn't say
Attempt to express what you've been holding back
The memory will waste away,
Over time, the past will fade
wash away all the things you used to hate
Negative feelings towards your past will be erased
Don't blame your insecurity, about me
Your personal insecurities shouldn't be directed towards me
Don't even talk about me,
Don't mention me
Call me when I'm going crazy,
Contact me during times of distress
Power tripping, glowing, we'd be
Feeling invincible and ecstatic together
Drunk and high all night, we
Intoxicated throughout the night
When do you stop be? Become a celebrity?
When do you stop being yourself and become fame-obsessed?
I need it this toxic thing called sobriety
I crave the negative habit of being sober
Sometimes I feel so broke I run out of energy
Occasionally I feel so drained and worthless
Sometimes I get so broke I feel worthless
Occasionally I feel so drained and worthless
Taking care of everyone that's broken
Caring for those who are hurting
Searching for peace in the scenes they don't go after
Seeking tranquility in unexpected places
The ego goes right into the beacon of a happy dream
The self becomes attracted to a happy illusion
They say the names of your demons,
People mention the negative aspects of yourself
It feels wrong.
It doesn't feel right
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Wim Plug, Yery Cho, Oscar de Jong, Carl Ruwhiu, Mark Kneppers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ARTESANIABELEN
Okay yeah yeah.
Try sometimes to say the things you couldn't say
The memory will waste away,
Wash away all the things you used to hate
Don't blame your insecurity, about me
Don't even talk about me,
Call me when I'm going crazy,
Power tripping, glowing, we'd be
Drunk and high all night, we
Drunk and high all night, we
Drunk and high all night, we
Don't think about me, don't even talk about me
Call me when I'm going crazy,
Power tripping, glowing, we'd be
Drunk and high all night, we
Don't even talk about me
Call me when I'm going crazy,
Power tripping, glowing, we'd be
Drunk and high all night, we
When do you stop be? Become a celebrity?
I need it this toxic thing called sobriety
Sometimes I feel so broke I run out of energy
Sometimes I get so broke I feel worthless
Taking care of everyone that's broken
Searching for peace in the scenes they don't go after
The ego goes right into the beacon of a happy dream
They say the names of your demons,
It feels wrong.
Try sometimes to say the things you couldn't say
The memory will waste away,
Wash away all the things you used to hate
Don't blame your insecurity, about me
Don't even talk about me,
Call me when I'm going crazy,
Power tripping, glowing, we'd be
Drunk and high all night, we
Drunk and high all night, we
Drunk and high all night, we
@enochakorli3407
I feel you guys, Kraak & Smaak were sent to relieve humanity from sadness and depression. This is gold❤️
@gpmmusicjunkie
Smooooooth like butter. Akin to floating on a cloud whilst watch a school of dolphins jumping out of the sun kissed ocean. Beautiful!
@TheAceofIron
you can tell the sax is real and not a synth fake. it's amazing.
@Kurgan_SPB
Спасибо за качественную музыку, ее не так много сейчас! Любим, ценим!
@dmacsk8noh8
In Canada. Loving this ❤️ 💙
@viktorlyovochkin1812
"Pleasure Center" and this are my favourite songs of the album. Beautiful music, brings relaxation.
@xxyz8396
Ca sent le renouveau de la bonne musique... Merci pour le plaisir du corps et de l'esprit..... 😜
@srishti6071
Coolest song .. the saxophone ahhh.. nostalgic yet new at the same time .. please make more of this I request you 🙏🏻
@YOLO-et9wx
2:10 I love this part!!! ❤
@westie430
Dang. This, "Say the Word" & "In Plain Sight" are amazing. This song is so summery sounding😍