Steve Lehman - Demian As a Posthuman

The quintet’s sound is informed by hip-hop, modern electronica, contemporary chamber music and the African-American creative tradition. The group favors an ambient, non-soloistic model of interaction and creates an ever-evolving groove around Meshell’s unmistakable rock-steady foundation and Steve’s abstract lyricism. The pieces recorded with Tyshawn represent a sound world all their own and showcase Steve’s unique electro-acoustic vision. Steve’s programming and Scotty’s engineering/producing result in a constantly morphing sound that reveals new layers with each listen. As a whole, the album embraces the new resources of modern electronic music while remaining indebted to the highly visceral tradition of modern day masters such as Jackie McLean, rapper Aceyalone and composer/pianist Michael Finnissy. That said, the CD’s sound, whether it be the compositions or the individual contributions of the musicians, occupies a creative space all its own.

“Demian as Posthuman” recalls a period when a composer could record an album that reflected his full range of interests — think Anthony Braxton’s New York, Fall 1974 — inspiring inquisitive listeners with the breadth of his creativity. It also cements the fact that a new genre and sound in creative music, drawing from both modern jazz and modern electronica, has fully arrived. Far from simple hybridism, “Demian as Posthuman” represents a cutting-edge electro-acoustic sound world that sounds like nothing else. What the CD does most effectively is introduce one of todays most compelling compositional voices: Steve Lehman.