This is pop?

Musically it is fascinating: a creative hybrid between two different musicians of vastly different backgrounds and ages that makes a virtue of their disparate qualities. Their story is just as intriguing, with Tony first giving Yannis a subdued welcome to the studio before their sessions provided the roots for their friendship to flourish. And when Tony passed in 2020, aged 79, Yannis did all he could to honour his friend.
 
The result is the upcoming ‘Lagos Paris London’ EP which will be released on August 30th via Transgressive. Yannis now heightens expectations for its release by unveiling the project’s second single, ‘Under The Strikes’.
 
‘Under The Strikes’ is arguably the most fully realised example of what Yannis had anticipated from the collaboration. A vibrant explosion of highlife rhythm and rousing brass, it constantly evolves courtesy of Tony’s loose yet always exuberant beats – and then it goes wilder still, with a crescendo of brass introducing a beautifully dreamlike coda. It’s also a track which sparkles with the free-wheeling energy of a late night session. Tony asserted that one-take for his drum parts was all he needed, with Yannis later finessing the track around his performance. This Is Pop? today’s song of the day is here for you.