I have always been a huge fan of Crookers. Hailing from Milan, the duo of Bot & Phra were once pioneers of the short-lived Fidget House movement, before the huge success that was their remix of Kid Cudi's "Day 'n' Nite". Although it was a huge commercial success, the duo didn't like the fact that one of their songs had become part of the mainstream, and so they included a satirical acapella version of the track performed by beatboxers in their debut album. Post-Cudi, their sound has matured into something that is quite different from their original stuff, with a much more Tribal and Big Beat sound in some tunes, as well as a bigger House feel to others. Here's my take on one of my favourite artists, how they came to be and how they took the dance music world by storm. But to start, we have to go all the way back to 2006...
PART I: Emergence
There was a time, before Phra grew his now trademark left-wing author style beard and when Bot was rarely seen out of a New Era cap, that Crookers were one of the leading artists in the Fidget House movement. Their sound had the perfect balance in the sound, which meant that their tracks sounded great either in a club or on an iPod. Originally first bursting onto the blogosphere with a substantial amount of remixes for artists like Wiley, Moby & Dusty Kid, Crookers also released some EPs that were now driven into the spotlight. Their first EP, End 2 End, contained a tune named "Just Ghetto" that sampled UK singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae as well as two other tracks. The duo went onto release a host of remixes for various artists as well as EPs Funk Mundial #3, Massive, Aguas De Parco (all 2007), Knobbers, Mad Kidz & E.P.istola (all 2008).
Crookers - Knobbers
Crookers - Love To Edit
Chemical Brothers - The Salmon Dance (Crookers' WoW Remix)
Busy P - To Protect And Entertain (Crookers Remix)
PART II: Tons Of Friends
After a bit of a wait and a lot of anticipation, Crookers dropped their debut album, Tons Of Friends (because every track is a collaboration), in 2010. Boasting such talent as Pitbull, Kelis & Major Lazer (amongst other amazing artits), the album has a diverse sound that includes Fidget, Hip Hop, House & Dubstep, every track including Crookers' swagger that had been a part of their style since they first appeared on the scene. Critics branded the album as "100% party", whilst others claimed that the duo were trying to "cover too many bases". Make what you will of it, the album is well-produced and most importantly has a density to it; it isn't just an album of tracks that all have the same old 'double drop' formula, it's a real arrangement of musical styles and you have to commend the pair for having the audacity to move away from their tried and tested sound and making such a good album.
Crookers feat. Miike Snow - Remedy
Crookers feat. Soulwax & Mixhell - We Love Animals
Crookers feat. Rye Rye - Hip Hop Changed
PART III: Dr. Gonzo
Crookers' latest guise is Dr. Gonzo, another project full of collaborations with the likes of Savage Skulls, Neoteric & Wax Motif. Again, this is a mash up of many styles, with Dr. Gonzo creating the hard-hitting and catchy sound in "Bust 'Em Up", to the tribal and experimental "The Anthem". It looks like now that Crookers have proven themselves at a club level, they now want to have full licence to make tracks that aren't as club friendly, but are true pieces of music, shifting their song balance now towards the iPod than the club. With more Dr. Gonzo tracks on the way, this coud be the start of something big for Crookers and their collaborators.
Crookers Pres. Dr Gonzo - The Gonzo Anthem
Crookers Pres. Dr Gonzo - Bust 'Em Up
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