Phats & Small

Phats and Small, a production duo, contributed substantially to the resurgence of disco and progressive house sounds throughout Europe. Hailing from Brighton in the U.K., Russell Small and Jason Phats first attracted widespread attention through their dance tracks "Turn Around" and "Feel Good." Russell launched his DJ career at age thirteen by operating a mobile service that his father accompanied to various weddings and social gatherings. He later reflected that the venture collapsed owing to his aversion to slow ballads and his habit of cursing into the microphone. Undeterred by these setbacks, Russell redirected his energies toward house music and club DJing. Accounts of how Russell and Jason first connected vary according to the teller, although the pair have quipped that they encountered each other on a Brighton dancefloor and immediately recognized a production match made in heaven. Their disco-infused single "Turn Around," issued in 1999, climbed to number two on the national charts and was soon succeeded by the comparable "Feel Good." Later that September they supplied several remixes of Earth Wind and Fire’s “September,” issuing the results as “September 99.”

Critics frequently link Phats and Small with longtime friend and fellow Brighton native Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook), noting that both acts helped shine a spotlight on the English seaside town. The duo further boosted local attendance through their monthly Mutant Disco club night held at Brighton’s Zap Club. Also in 1999 they unveiled their debut album, Now Phats What I Small Music, featuring vocalist Big Ben, whose performances appear on both “Turn Around” and “Feel Good.”