‘Squeeze me’ is the first full single from the new Kraak & Smaak album Plastic People. Featuring vocals from rising soul star Ben Westbeech (whose album ‘Welcome to the Best Years of Your Life’ on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label made it into nearly all of the Best of 2007 charts), means this track is already being tipped as the one to propel K&S into the charts with support from Pete Tong and both Annie Mac and Nightingale. Marrying the Kraakers future funk and hip hop beats with a sensational Westbeech vocal made this track was always going to be the first choice single (although the band did release a couple of warm up EP’s to remind everyone why their debut album ‘Boogie Angst’ was a worldwide success). ‘Funk Ass Rotator / Mad as Hell’ was aimed firmly at the dancefloor and has earned the boys a Radio 1 guest mix later on this month while ‘That’s Our Word’ showcased the bands more leftfield side featuring a collaboration with Stones Throw rapper Dudley Perkins. ‘Squeeze Me’ features a killer set of remixes. Trevor Loveys – mainstay of the dubsided label and partner of Herve in their Speakerjunk project turns in a hot vocal and dub that neatly crosses the divide between bassline and techy fidget house. Breaks hero A Skillz from Fingerlickin’ slays the floor with a hip hop tempo tech-funk mix. Soul of Man’s Jem Stone turns in a deep and dubby beauty and deep funk don Lack of Afro from Freestyle rounds off the package with a mix for the funk soul brothers and sisters. Catch the band launch the single with a live gig at Ali B’s AIR night at Cargo, London on April 4th. Before that they are playing live at the Breakspoll Awards at Fabric on Feb 28th.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Martin Madigan
