Crack Rock

It has been over a decade since Anthony Mills created his most celebrated project, Wildcookie. Filled with joints like "Heroine" and "Serious Drug," the project broke into numerous radio playlists, including Gilles Peterson's show, turning those tracks into underground hits. The Cookie Dough album captured listeners' hearts worldwide, and even after all these years, it remains a favorite on streaming platforms. Fourteen years after that success, Anthony Mills makes his long-awaited return, teaming up with Marek “Latarnik” Pędziwiatr to create Crack Rock—a bold evolution of the Wildcookie legacy.

The warm, jazzy beats centered around the Fender Rhodes sound, a hallmark of Wildcookie, have given way in Crack Rock to compositions rooted in the 1980s, crafted by Marek Pędziwiatr. The keyboardist of bands like EABS, Błoto, and Zima Stulecia, Pędziwiatr fully utilized his extensive collection of synthesizers. Together with Anthony Mills, Marek Pędziwiatr delved into the nuances of the yacht rock genre during their studio sessions, drawing inspiration from icons like Fleetwood Mac and Michael McDonald. They retained the genre's essence: high production quality, clean vocals, and a focus on light, catchy melodies. Eventually, their love for experimentation has led them into unfamiliar territory. The final result turned out vastly different from their initial vision—yacht rock began to crack and fray at the seams. Thus, Crack Rock was born, accompanied by a clever play on words.