Impressive five track EP Lagos Paris London, matches Afrobeat excellence with Yannis Philippakis’s idiosyncratic guitars and impassioned vocals
Back in 2016, Yannis Philippakis received an unexpected invitation to join pioneering Afrobeat musician Tony Allen for a recording session in Paris. It would turn out to be a life changing moment for the Foals frontman, resulting in a blooming friendship and fruitful experience with an icon who remained creatively dialled in throughout the final years of his life.
Four years on from Allen’s death at the age of 79 that meeting of minds has found the light of day as the impressive five track EP Lagos Paris London, which matches Afrobeat excellence with Philippakis’s idiosyncratic guitars and impassioned vocals.
The funky opener ‘Walk Through Fire’ arrived early in the recording session. Having arrived at the Parisian studio with just a guitar and a loop pedal, this feels like Philippakis out to impress — his bold vocal performance and a swaggering riff complement Allen’s complex drum patterns beautifully.
‘Rain Can’t Reach Us’, though, changes the temperature altogether. It quietly builds using electronic loops and emotive soundscapes before Allen’s frenetic drumming prompts a chest-pumping explosion – it’s the EP’s peak by some distance.
The following two tracks — the understated, soulful ‘Night Green, Heavy Love’ and horn-led ‘Under the Strikes’ — blend in nicely without jumping out. But, before you know it, ‘Clementine’ concludes matters on a summery note, its nostalgic lyricism and breezy guitar licks echoing Foals’ recent career high Life Is Yours.
Lagos Paris London wins on two fronts. Firstly, its ambitious scope furthers Philippakis’s artistic reputation and, secondly, it provides a fitting farewell to the late, great Tony Allen as two masters of differing crafts combine for an enrapturing experience.
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