Craaft: The Belgian New Beat and Electronic Pioneers

Craaft is a Belgian electronic music group that emerged as a defining force in the late 1980s New Beat and early rave scene. Hailing from Ghent, the band achieved significant commercial success across Europe, most notably with their 1989 hit single Does Your Mother Know, which became a club anthem and chart fixture.

Early career

Craaft was formed in 1987 in Ghent, Belgium, a city that was a hotbed for the burgeoning New Beat sound. The group, centered around producers Peter Van De Veire and Peter Van Der Haegen, quickly immersed themselves in the underground club circuit. Their early releases on the Belgian label Antler-Subway established their signature style: a hypnotic, mid-tempo blend of electronic rhythms and sampled vocals.

Breakthrough

The year 1989 marked Craaft's major breakthrough with the release of the single Does Your Mother Know. The track, which cleverly sampled ABBA, became an instant phenomenon in European clubs and crossed over to mainstream charts. It propelled their debut album, Craaft, to strong sales, earning gold certifications in several European territories and solidifying their status as New Beat ambassadors.

Key tracks

Does Your Mother Know — This ABBA-sampling track was their international breakthrough hit, defining the crossover potential of New Beat.

Everybody — A follow-up single that maintained their chart momentum with its infectious, driving synth lines and call-and-response vocals.

It's Time — This track exemplified their evolving sound towards a more trance-inflected style in the early 1990s.

Close Your Eyes — A later work showcasing their adaptability within the broader spectrum of European electronic dance music.

Following their initial success, Craaft continued to release albums like Electronic and Music, adapting their sound to the faster tempos of the developing rave and trance scenes. They remained consistent hitmakers in Belgium and Germany throughout the early 1990s, collaborating with artists like Ruth Joy and maintaining a steady presence on labels such as ZYX Music.

For fans of Craaft's foundational electronic pulse, the Belgian scene offered similar innovators. Front 242 shares the Belgian lineage and pioneering use of electronic sequencing, though with a more aggressive EBM edge. The Techno Head operated in the same era and territory, crafting instrumental New Beat and techno tracks for the club floor. Confettis delivered a similarly catchy, sample-driven approach to the Belgian dance sound of the late '80s. 2 Unlimited represents the subsequent wave of massive Belgian-led Eurodance, carrying forward the energy and chart ambition.

Craaft's music remains a staple on classic alternative and electronic radio stations, particularly those specializing in late 80s and early 90s dance nostalgia. Their anthems are regularly featured in the rotations of online radio streams dedicated to vintage club culture, ensuring their driving beats reach both original fans and new listeners discovering the era.

The electronic anthems of Craaft can be heard on radio stations featured on our website. Listeners can discover or enjoy the iconic sounds of this Belgian New Beat act through a variety of dedicated electronic and classic alternative radio stations available on onairium.com.