Lead singer Fyfe Dangerfield explained: "We've always meant to put out a double A-side at some point, and we couldn't decide which of 'Kriss Kross' and 'Clarion' should be the next single, so now seemed like the right time to do both."

[3] When officially rereleased as a download through the iTunes Store, the song was featured with "Clarion" as part of a digital EP, alongside a new song written at Latitude Festival 2008 entitled "Fishbone for a Drink", a live cover of "Black and Gold" by Sam Sparro, and the music video for "Kriss Kross".

[4] The video was filmed in 2008, and was directed by Guillemots member MC Lord Magrão, who uploaded it to his personal YouTube account during August 2008.

After it was made available for free to download, "Kriss Kross" was described as "cool" by Sugar;[6] Stereogum praised its melody and Dangerfield's "trademark exubarence", but stated that its outro was "mundane".

[7] Andy Gill of The Independent described the song as having a "lumbering funk-rock groove",[8] while Nick Orton of Gigwise called it "aggressive", and "revealing a harder Guillemots than we’re accustomed to".