Aho Ssan

Aho Ssan debuts on Other People with second solo album and book ‘Rhizomes’ featuring Nicolás Jaar, Moor Mother, Angel Bat Dawid, clipping, Blackhaine and more.

Paris based composer Aho Ssan, the arQst moniker of Niamké Désiré, presents his new full-length ‘Rhizomes’ on the Other People label following his debut LP ‘Simulacrum’ (2020) and collaboraQve record ‘Limen’ (2022) with fellow musician KMRU. ‘Rhizomes’ draws inspiraQon from a concept coined and developed between Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guatarri. The idea of an ever evolving structural model, constantly in moQon and spreading out in all direcQons at once. It has no beginning and no end, but always remains in a middle, through which it grows and overflows. “The root thought is the one that kills everything around itself while the rhizome is the root that stretches out to meet other roots,” Désiré explains considering the works of French writer Édouard Glissant who addresses quesQons of idenQty, crossbreeding of cultures and its evoluQon. Much like the name it borrows, Aho Ssan’s ‘Rhizomes’ is a mulQmedia project that embarks on a myriad of disparate, unique musical and arQsQc partnerships. This piece adapts this concept to explore the influence of sound materials on creaQon, the appropriaQon of a sound object, and the collaboraQve nature of a composiQon that responds to modernity. “Rhizome represents an underground stem system that fosters connecQons between various organisms and allows them to flourish collecQvely. It’s an album that celebrates collaboraQon and brings together a diverse group of talented arQsts,” Désiré conQnues. Aho Ssan collaborated with a comprehensive cast of arQsts to create a musical rhizome including Nyokabi Kariuki, Josefa Ntjam, Blackhaine, Nicolás Jaar, Resina, Rắn Cạp Đuôi, Richie Culver, clipping., Lafawndah, 9T AnQope, James Ginzburg, Exzald S, ValenQna Magalen, Moor Mother, Angel Bat Dawid and Mondkopf. CooperaQon and community are at the root of this project and the lens through which all the composiQons can be understood through. Aho Ssan will present ‘Rhizomes’ AV show together with visual arQst Sevi Iko Dømochevsky at Berlin Atonal 2023. ’Rhizomes’ received a Honorary MenQon at Prix Ars Electronica 2023 Digital Music

"I’m always hunting for new music which pushes the form forward. With its blistered static, ongoing collaborative line up, and innovative design, Aho Ssan’s ‘Rhizomes’ reimagines the music of the future into something communal, borderstraddling, and inspiring. Plus the guest appearances from Moor Mother, Blackhaine, and clipping. (cherry picking from the stellar cast) hit harder than a diamond fist. It’s a total game changer." - Jon