Yesterday, on my way to Lagos, I listened to Terry Apala’s Black & White, an EP released in January. Coming after a massive comeback single, the project feels like an attempt to build on that momentum. Terry brings along Wurld, Bella Shmurda and others, while holding firmly to the sound that has followed him for years.

The vocals are still hoarse. The lyrics are sometimes personal and emotional. After the ups and downs of the last decade, perhaps this should be expected. Terry has lived through enough changes in the music industry to have a story to tell, and on this project, he does not shy away from it.

The opener, “Story,” lays bare some of what he has been passing through. His constant refrain, “you don’t know what I have pass through,” almost becomes an anthem as he moves through his story. Music comes as a second option, while social vices almost derail him from the journey. It is a reflective opening, and the production is deliberately mild and moderate. Terry is not in a hurry.

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The EP kicks into life with the Spellz-supported “Sebebe.” The percussion-driven production is put to good use as Terry explores an Aluko baseline for his message. Here, he sounds more comfortable. It is a party track, but one that still carries the character of the Apala sound he has made his own.

Apala meets Fuji on “Bride Price,” a wedding-centred track where the Gangan drum does some magic. It recalls the beauty of “Apala Disco,” while Bella Shmurda and Terry Apala make for an interesting sonic pairing. Terry does not abandon his identity to accommodate Bella. Instead, both artistes find a middle ground.

Wurld and Wizard Chan find themselves in unfamiliar terrain on “Na You,” yet they make good use of the opportunity. Wizard Chan almost takes over the song from Terry, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. His presence adds another texture to a project that could easily have become too predictable.

Terry explores trap on “Methusela,” with the production taking a copious input from Western influences. Here, Methuselah is used as a reference to the longevity of his relationship with his supposed lover. It is another example of Terry trying to stretch his sound without completely losing the elements that brought him here.

“Allow Me” is more jazzy and up-tempo. On this EP, Spellz, who has worked with artistes like Wizkid and Tiwa Savage, produces the majority of the tracks, and his influence is evident in the way some of the songs are arranged. “Allow Me” feels like a form of self-acclamation, with Terry allowing himself to take centre stage.

A shaker, drum and synth lead the way on “Flex,” a feel-good track where Terry returns to his trademark chants, drum patterns and that familiar singing-and-talking delivery. It is the kind of record that reminds you why his voice stood out in the first place.

There are moments on Black & White where Terry sounds like he is looking backwards, and others where he is trying to figure out what comes next. The EP does not always find the perfect balance between the two. Some of the newer influences work better than others, but the familiar Terry Apala remains underneath it all.

Terry is back, he seems to say. For how long remains the question. Only time will tell.