Da Lata (meaning "from the tin" in Portuguese) are a British group formed in 1994 by Chris Franck and Patrick Forge, they combine Afro-Brazilian influences with other strands from the melting pot of their native London. Franck and Forge previously worked together with the Brighton-based group Batu before setting up Da Lata as a more studio based project. Franck is the main creative force as songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, whereas Forge better known as a DJ and broadcaster is credited as co-producer. They made three albums for Palm Pictures Songs From The Tin(2000) and Serious (2003) and a collection of their remix work for other artists Remixes which featured their interpretations of songs by Femi Kuti, Luciano, Bebel Gilberto, Sly and Robbie and others. After a hiatus of several years the pair started work on a new album in 2011. It is scheduled for release in early 2013. 　　Da Lata's first release was as Trio Da Lata for Brownswood Records in Japan, a song called "Deep Water' which featured former Batu vocalist Sharon Scott. However, it was their next release, a version of Edu Lobo's classic "Ponteio" that garnered attention, crossing over between House and Jazz-Dance audiences. "Ponteio" was supported particularly strongly in Japan and in New York by the Body&Soul DJs. Despite the success of this single, Da Lata was put on hold for a few years whilst Chris Franck wrote, produced and toured with Smoke City. In 1998 they recorded a song that had been initially demoed four years earlier, it was on the strength of this song, "Pra Manha". that they were signed to Chris Blackwell's Palm Pictures.