Award-winning South African music veteran Arno Carstens is still going strong and is set to release his 4th solo album – Atari Gala – on September 10th 2012. The first single and music video off the album, entitled ‘Two Dogs’, gives us a taste of what’s to come.

An outstanding and profound piece of music, ‘Two Dogs’ parallels the process of an emotionally turbulent relationship, where both parties are ‘too angry to heal.’ Director, Ryan Kruger, describes the development of the concept of the video itself:

‘When tasked to make the music video for ‘Two Dogs’, I went looking for a concept that was based on a simple idea, but one that was also a great idea. And in the end, the idea was as simple as exploring a couple’s relationship at the dinner table. Two people are chained to a table out of reach from each others touch, in a representation of purgatory and an endless last supper scenario.

The only way they can explore each other and fulfil their desires both good and bad, is through the meal laid out before them. We see the monotony, even though the meal is perfect, overcome them.

 The Butler, Phillip Hotz (aka papa smurf aka papa jew aka pops), appears in many of my videos. In ‘Two Dogs’, he plays the role of the Devil in disguise and we watch him as he watches his ‘creation’, when he turns the hourglass to signal the start of the emotional food marathon. The video was shot in high speed (slow motion) and in black and white. I think this adds so much to the video and captures beautifully those real moments in the performance.’

The upcoming album called Atari Gala is one of many under Carstens’ belt. Even post-Springbok Nude Girls, Carstens hasn’t missed a beat; he has released three other solo albums, won numerous South African Music Awards, shared stages with the likes of REM, The Rolling Stones and U2, and in March held his first art exhibition in Cape Town, at The Lovell Gallery, Woodstock.

‘I painted the Japanese word ‘Atari’ on a recent artwork to mimic a bird singing a message of warning. 

That got me thinking that it could be a great name for a piece of music. Because this is my 10th studio album, I wanted to emphasize a kind of celebration, not only of the 12 tracks on this particular album, but of the whole creative process that has brought me thus far. Every song is an event or a tale, a celebration or a warning cry, that stems from life’s experiences.’ (Arno Carstens)

Video Credit:
Director: Ryan Kruger
Producers: Darryn Bennet & Ryan Kruger
DOP: Faheemah Hendricks
Editing: Stephen Du Plessis

Make Up: Nicci Allen
Production Design: Anika Prins