A rhizome is an underground stem system that fosters connections between various organisms. In philosophy, the term refers to an ever-evolving structural model, constantly in motion and spreading out in all directions at once. Much like the name it borrows, Paris-based composer Aho Ssan’s (real name Niamké Désiré) sophomore album Rhizomes is a unique collaboration that spans sound, visual art and writing, and includes names such as Blackhaine, Nicolas Jaar, Moor Mother and Lafawndah. “Rhizome represents an underground stem system that fosters connections between various organisms and allows them to flourish collectively. It’s an album that celebrates collaboration and brings together a diverse group of talented artists,” he explains. 

Following on from his 2020 debut Simulacrum (another philosophy reference – this time, Baudrillard), which reflected on Ssan’s experience of growing up Black in France, Rhizomes puts collaboration at the forefront, with each track featuring familiar faces from the global underground. From the hard-hitting “Cold Summer, Pt. 1”, a paranoia-inducing track featuring Manchester-based Blackhaine, to the soaring chorus on the clipping. and Resina-led lead single “Til The Sun Down“, there’s a melting pot of uniquely different styles that mesh with Aho Ssan’s cinematic production, which serves as a binding thread throughout Rhizomes’ ten tracks. Elsewhere, “Tetsuo I” and “Tetsuo II” are references to the 80s cyberpunk anime Tetsuo: The Iron Man, and explore themes of madness and mutation. Or, as Aho Ssan puts it: “a monster losing control of itself”.

Below, Nicolás Jaar, Moor Mother, James Ginzburg, and more discuss what it was like collaborating on the album.

“OUVERTURE” FT NYOKABI KARIUKI

Nyokabi Kariuki: Aho Ssan’s music is explosive, it often sounds like birth and death at the same time, and the idea of a rhizome made me think of ‘growth’ as an explosion, both pushing away from and into the soil. When Aho Ssan asked me to be the mouthpiece for the title, I was pretty honoured, because with his music, it’s hard not to want to explore the extreme end of your own instrument – the raw and the corporeal part of your musicality. I loved experimenting with the feeling of the word ‘rhizome’ in my mouth, voicing it both softly and strangely, and loudly and coarsely, attempting at times to match the intensity of Aho Ssan’s production but, at other times, trying to offer something sweet as well.

“LE TREMBLEMENT” FT NICOLÁS JAAR

Nicolás Jaar: Désiré and I had some long conversations about Glissant and his particular understanding of the Rhizome. When I was thinking about the project, I stumbled on this amazing video with Glissan.

Nicolás Jaar: Here are some of the extraordinary things he says at the beginning of the clip, which ended up being the inspiration for the lyrics of our song:

Glissant: I don’t like stories that are created to give power, to signal power or to corroborate power. I don’t like the idea that the one who directs the world has the right to ‘say‘ the world. That is History in this sense. But, History, [...] History has been controlled by the oppressors.

Chamoiseau: So what do you mean by ‘Say‘ the world, what does that mean?

Glissant: Saying the world is to enter in real, complete contact, out of History, with the tremor [le tremblement], the hailing, the warming, the gentleness, the violence, the eruption, the tranquility. It‘s not ‘History‘. This is why poetry is beautiful.

I became fascinated by this last part. That to ‘say’ the world is to enter into contact with these earthly forces which don't give power or signal the power of the oppressor. Instead, he speaks of a way of ‘saying’ the world, deeply in contact with the poetic tremors of the world. Aho Ssan’s music to me is filled with poetry: It’s apocalyptic but could just as well soundtrack the birth of a flower or the explosion of a massive star.

“TILL THE SUN DOWN” FT CLIPPING. & RESINA

Resina: This piece is a striking example of why I admire Désiré’s attitude and what we try to do while making music – to clash, combine and build from non-obvious elements. It was also a brilliant challenge: how to compose cello or vocal tracks so that sometimes they sound full and clear and sometimes. Despite being recorded almost without any effects, they blend in and enhance the electronic layer.

“HERO ONCE BEEN” FT 9 ANTIOPE 

9T Antiope: Our collaboration with Aho Ssan began when he joined us while we were working on a song. We were telling the story of the lingering feelings after someone has left us; it’s all about the heaviness of loss. We had known Aho’s music and style for quite some time, and we felt it complemented our musical vision perfectly. His cinematic soundscapes provided an excellent backdrop for the melodic noises we aimed to create.

In ‘Hero, Once Been’, we incorporated some Farsi words, a rare occurrence in our songs, included to create a contrast with the English lyrics. They describe the satisfaction Death derives from tormenting someone who has experienced loss, transforming it into vivid imagery: ‘Red, like the scar on her frail cheekbone/ Loss was dripping down from blue veins/ Naked and bare, the long whip of time/ sparked on her exposed shoulders/ and Death rolled its eyes back into its skull/ deeply pleasured by inhaling the dew of sweat sheathing the sheer scar tissue’. It also features the phrase ‘quod fuimus, estis; quod sumus, vos eritis’, translating into, ‘what we were, you are; what we are, you will be’, serving as yet another reminiscence of memento mori theme, a recurring motif in our body of work.

“TETSUO I” FT JAMES GINZBURG

James Ginzburg: Désiré and I have worked together for four years or so… We are friends and colleagues… But I’m really a fan, and it was a total pleasure to mix the record and get my mind deep into it – I never got bored of any of it. As a bonus, we worked on a track together, “Tetsuo I”, which came together really quickly. Désiré sent over a fascinatingly strange idea, and I recorded bowed strings on an instrument I built, piano, and then added a performance on a block of wood I did when I was recording material to train a machine learning system in 2019 for the emptyset album “blossoms”. I also played guitar on another track, “away”,I shredded over the peace for six minutes, and Désirévery wisely edited it down to a 30 second outro.

“AWAY” FT EXZALD S & VALENTINA MAGALETTI

Exzald S: In late 2021, Désiré opened up about the ideas for his forthcoming record and how he wanted it to be linked to his friend, a beautifully spirited and talented artist who departed a couple of years ago. I don’t think we had ever had a conversation about it at that point, but having lost my brother to suicide as a teenager, I very much related. The only way to approach this that made sense at that point was to be as real and raw and feral as possible, and hopefully it means something to someone out there, finds a life of its own. 

Valentina Magaletti : I have been working with Désiré for the Wavings project  for a few years now and I love his music. I was very pleased and humbled to be asked to take part in his album. It is a beautiful collection of sonic episodes by some of the best contemporary musicians. The sense of community and collaborative love for a project is one of the only things that make me regain faith in the music industry that can often be venal and uninspiring.

“RHIZOME IV” FT MOOR MOTHER, ANGEL BAT DAWID & MONDKOPF

Moor Mother: It was very sweet of Aho to ask me. We met in Paris and he was so generous and wonderful. It was a pleasure to include a poem for his album. It’s beautiful to meet a musician that is about bringing people together and also so positive.I found out about his work through a mutual friend, KMRU. i believe it is important for artist to collaborate and build a collective sound future.

Mondkopf: I was really excited when Désiré asked me to play on his track with Moor Mother and Angel Bat Dawid. The fondation of the track was already there and it was beautiful. One of my favorite tune by Désiré ! So I was completely down to add whatever he wanted. He didn’t ask me something specific, just processed guitar. So I set up my gear and improvised some stuff on the track and send him what I prefer the most. I played some bass chords, some pads from a ebow and I also made a layer of just gated noise from a really nice fuzz pedal named Plasma Pedal into a spring reverb. I tried to keep it simple to let the emotion of the track has it was but just push it a little bit because I’m a emo kid haha!

What is cool with Désiré’s music it’s that I feel we have an attraction for some harmonies and chords so it was easy for me to blend me in. And, of course, he could do whatever he wanted with my material.

Rhizomes is out now

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