Kraak & Smaak’s debut release, Boogie Angst, is a hook-filled funkfest.

The Dutch trio (Mark Kneppers, Wim Plug and Oscar De Jong) dance around hip-hop, funk, jazz and house genres, mixing them up to create “Dance music to listen to.” While they may hop from genre to genre, wherever they stop, they give the style a creative work out. Money in the Bag (K&S remix) checks out 80’s-style rap, Keep Me Home mixes retro-lounge vocals with house beats, while Say Yeah moves from JB-style soul to breakbeats.

One of the highlights of the CD is Mambo Solitario, which goes deep into 60’s exotica territory. It runs a bassline groove over a variety of Martin Denny-esque percussion, and features some great trumpet solo work on the top. Another highlight is One of These Days, a modern soul groove that sounds certain to be hit.

They wrap the CD up with Hello Big Mama/Money in the Bag, which is barely recognizable as the same tune as the first track. The track has more of a seventies funk feel, compared to the proto-rap of the earlier version.

The only weakness on Boogie Angst is the lyrics, which tend to be repetitive to excess. Tracks like One of These Days, which is already smoldering, would be that much hotter with lyrics up to the standard of the music.

All in all, though, Kraak & Smaak’s debut Boogie Angst is a catchy collection of funky, well-produced dance music.

You can get a taste of K&S’s sound from Keep Me Home:

Tracks:

• Money In The Bag (K&S Remix)
• One Of Theses Days
• Keep On Searching
• Jolie Banane
• Keep Me Home
• Danse Macabre
• 5 To 4
• Say Yeah
• No Sun In The Sky
• Mambo Solitario
• Maputo Express
• Hello Big Mama/Money In The Bag (Original Version)