Exclusive interview: New Dance Music Friday with Kraak & Smaak

We proudly present the New Dance Music Friday feature, your weekly update on all newly released dance tracks, brought together on one amazing Spotify playlist. Featured this week (among many others): Kraak & Smaak! They released their new single 'Scorched' this week, provide the list with some musical tips, and tell all about it in this exclusive interview.

Hey, you just released your new single 'Scorched'. How did you create this?
"Often, first ideas come to form quickly as a short loop and from thereon it evolves in something bigger, and this case was no different. As soon as we had the instrumental structure set up in the studio we decided it could use a vocal, as it seemed to be somewhere in between a club and a regular, let’s say, a more traditional streaming track. In other words, it could become a song as well. We then immediately thought of our live band and 'Juicy Fruit' vocal collab Ivar Vermeulen, as he has a great voice but also knows how to write good songs in English as well - just listen to some of the songs on that latest album of ours for instance. As always, we invited him to the studio and recorded a first version after which we finalized music and arrangement. And at a second session we dotted the i’s with regard to the final lyrics and there it was."

What does this record say about your musical evolution as an artist?
"To be honest: not so much in first instance really.. We have always created music that touches a lot of genres and sounds, and more by chance than as a thought out concept. At the same time, after the release of 'Juicy Fruit', which was a bit of a throwback to our original sound at the time of our first album 'Boogie Angst' but with todays possibilities, we apparently felt the urge to make a more dancefloor-vibed electronic track again. It just works that way with us!"

The track is featured on Spinnin’s New Dance Music Friday playlist. How important is Spotify to you?
"Very important of course. Nowadays it’s just the foremost outlet for getting your music to the fans (and for making new ones). Although we definitely miss the physical side of releasing records, Spotify and streaming in general have opened up a vast amount of new possibilities to get heard: anywhere, anyplace and anytime. What more could you want?"

Which recently released dance tracks should definitely be added to New Dance Music Friday?
"A recent club track in the same vibe as our own nu disco sound is Vhyce – 'Can’t Do Without'. And a Moods remix that absolutely smashes it every time we play it out is his take on 'Prescription' ft. Eric Biddines.
Finally, Detroit Swindle are doing it again with their new track 'Can’t Hold It’."

[Please note this playlist will change a week after this post]