Genre-bending compositions and improvisations combining hard driving beats, ambient textures, upright bass, and the soaring vocals of a sultry fire cracker.

11 MP3 Songs in this album (57:06) !
Related styles: ROCK: Post-Rock/Experimental, ROCK: Space Rock

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Details:
For several years, members of the powerful five piece As Human (originally named Kilo) had been intersecting paths, performing together in various smaller incarnations as part of Philadelphia's humble yet robust, eclectic improv scene. Along the way, they had individually amassed an impressive list of cohorts such as John Medeski (MMW), Billy Martin (MMW), Bobby McFerrin, Matisyahu, Dave Dreiwitz and Andrew Weiss (Ween), Skerik and Mike Dillon (Critters Buggin, Les Claypool), Bernie Worrell (P. Funk, Talking Heads) and King Britt. Since converging efforts in the summer of 2006, As Human has fused a genre-bending sound typified by soaring, instrument-like vocals, sonically adventurous cascading guitars, muscular, sound-manipulated upright bass and lively, song-oriented drums.


While As Human's live shows draw from an unbridled organic synergy (many times containing more instantly-improvised creations than actual album cuts), their first studio effort "Kilo" displays crafty, focused arrangements and a detailed, virtually impeccable production. Rising from the abyss of wind tunnel meets twisted-carousel murkiness, the opening track "As Hwuman" evolves into the tightest and most carefully formed arrangement on the album. The track represents some of the finer elements of As Human, shifting wide-varying moods and smoothly traversing subtle tempo changes before settling on a gorgeous half time recap in which a final apt lyric echoes "beau-ti-ful". Tracks like "Pining" with it's angular punk, "Spiral" with it's catchy odd-meter bounce or "Obsession" with it's hypnotic hop give the impression that As Human delights in challenging the listener with an ever-expanding definition of their elusive sound. Those that survive this initial stylistic enigma will most likely find themselves sussing out the particulars via their favorite listening medium for days thereafter. With sweeping sonic explorations and lush, immaculate production, "Kilo" marks an ambitious first offering doing all it needs to intrigue and nothing in the way of answering "What the hell do you call this?"


AS HUMAN is:

Ryat - vocals, wurlitzer, synths
Dion Paci - guitars, percussion, programming
Jason Fraticelli - upright bass
Tim Conley - guitars, slide guitar, ukulele, piano, organ
Tony Catastrophe - drums, percussion

Produced by Dion Paci and Tom Spiker
except "Level" produced by Ryat and Dion Paci