UK dance outfit Phats & Small couldn’t have chosen a better location for the video shoot of ‘Sun Comes Out’, their brand new single off their as yet untitled BMG album due to be released in early April.
As they jetted into Cape Town last week, the Mother City was experiencing one of its hottest days this summer. ‘The sun has really come out for us this week,’ said Russell aka Small. ‘It’s absolutely scorching here. And Paarl earlier this week was even hotter. It’s a good job I was in Thailand first ‘cos I got myself a bit of a base tan to build on…’
A laugh-a-minute guy, Small said he had absolutely no bloody idea where ‘here’ was. ‘I haven’t got a clue ‘cos I had my eyes shut all the way here,’ he chuckled. ‘But it looks like the middle of Arizona…’ Later I discovered they were shooting somewhere up the West Coast.
Paarl Rock, however, came in for plenty of praise. ‘It’s a wicked rock,’ raved Small. ‘It looks space age. It also does seem quite phallic, but hey, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s absolutely fanatic. One of the best locations I’ve been to.’
The sought after DJ was full of superlatives.
‘We’ve been shooting and drinking your fabulous wine and admiring the beautiful countryside which is absolutely stunning,’ he continued. ‘This is the best place you could come for a photo shoot.’
Small should know ‘cos he’s widely travelled enough to make an objective assessment. ‘We’ve been very much round the world and back again. And I’ve there’s no doubt that Cape Town has got to be one of the top three places we’ve ever visited.
‘The people have been fantastic. Everyone on the video shoot has been really friendly. The other night we all went out to dinner in Camps Bay where I had the best oysters I’ve ever had. And when we’re sitting on the side of the road lorry drivers go past and wave at us. Everyone seems to be quite friendly.’
Hospitality and climate, however, were not the sole reasons for choosing South Africa and Cape Town for P&S’s first BMG video shoot. ‘It’s no coincidence that we are shooting a video for a song about harmony, hope and positiveness in South Africa,’ explains Small.
‘South Africa was the first place BMG suggested. And part of the reason was because the theme of ‘Sun Comes Out’ ties in with the spirit of your country.’
So what weighty world issue then inspired the track?
‘Actually we were just hoping to get another record released,’ deadpans Small. ‘Seriously, all our tracks are very up and about love and hope in the world. That’s what the four of us (Jason, Caz and Ben) are about. A brighter tomorrow...’
It turns out that the track was also penned for Jason after his girlfriend of nine years left him. ‘We tried to bring a bit of hope and happiness back into his life ‘cos he was right in the dumps for a few months. It really hit him hard.’
So far the single has only been played to a selected audience, but initial reviews are glowing. ‘It’s very uplifting,’ declares Small. ‘We haven’t played it to someone who hasn’t liked it. It’s also a bit different to our usual stuff. It’s not our normal cheesy disco sound. It’s a bit more guitar based and it’s got a Balearic feel to it as well. It’s a lot more mature than our usual stuff. I never thought we would, but we’ve grown up!’
The same can be said for their third album. ‘It’s right across the board as far as genres go,’ explains Small. ‘There are little bits of R&B soul, down tempo tracks, three or four clubby tracks, a few pop based tunes… And out of 14 songs there’s only one instrumental. To be honest with you, I think it’s the best stuff we’ve done.
‘Everyone says that when they’re releasing an album, but I think our production skills have evolved tenfold in the last two years. In fact, I’m glad it’s taken us that long to do our third album because there’s been so much improvement.’
There’s definitely consensus on that one. Come later this year, Phats & Small will make the transition from dance act to live band just like label mates Kosheen and Faithless. And it’s up to fans whether South Africa features on their debut tour roster.
‘It’s been so great being here that I hope to come back next year for a holiday,’ declares Small. ‘And if the album sells well we hope to tour the country as well.’
Back to Martin's Background.