Yannis & The Yaw feat. Tony Allen – Lagos Paris London

Description

In 2016, Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis was offered theopportunity of a lifetime: a two-day session working with the greatdrummer Tony Allen, whom he admired intensely for his influential,multi-genre work with the likes of Fela Kuti, Sbastien Tellier and JeffMills.

Heading into a smoke-filled, 1970s throwback studio in Paris, Yannishad expected them to make a nostalgic Afrobeat record. Yetsomething very different emerged. As the pair quickly established anintuitive telepathy, the music germinated from jams and loops, its
varied touchpoints – rock, funk, jazz, dub and more – werecomplemented by a unique atmosphere of two cultures and creativescolliding, their expression liberated by making music in and for themoment itself.

Joined by Tonys regular collaborators Vincent Taeger (percussion,marimba), Vincent Taurelle (keys) and Ludovic Bruni (bass, guitar),that first meeting resulted in a handful of near complete songs, whichwere further developed during a couple of subsequent sessions. Butbetween scheduling issues and Covid restrictions, the recordingswere never completed before Tony passed away in April 2020 at theage of 79.

Yannis felt a deep duty to complete the project, not only as abittersweet way to honour and celebrate his friend, but also becauseTony had been so eager to share these songs with the world. Theresult is the upcoming five-track EP, Lagos Paris London, under the
Yannis & The Yaw umbrella – a project that he plans to return to in thefuture for further collaborations with inspiring musicians from acrossthe globe.

The Lagos Paris London EP is high-spirited, loose-groovedexuberance completed by the complex rhythms and unhurried style ofthe man who inspired it. Its a communion with the past that providesan escape in the present day.

Standard CD in four-panel digisleeve. 140g black 12 vinyl with embossed sleeve. Available to independent retailers on 140g red coloured vinyl withembossed sleeve.

Tracklist:

Walk Through Fire
Rain Can’t Reach Us
Night Green, Heavy Love
Under The Strikes
Clementine