Ryat: As Human Phrequency article!! 12/8/08

Posted on Mon, Dec. 8, 2008


Ryat: As Human

By Ptah Gabrie
When vocalist Ryat takes the stage, you don't know what form she's wearing to the show. It could be the dreamy female singer on her song "Formula" or the dark spacey voice on the track "Level." The use of vocal manipulating devices allows her to push the boundaries of live voice performance. While sustaining a high pitch, she uses effects to give her voice an eerie wavy sound. She's not all smoke and mirrors though. Her unrefined voice is powerful, and at times touches the dark pop realm achieved by musicians like Tori Amos and Bjork.

As Human used to be known as Kilo, until they switched the band name with their debut album title. On that album, the lineup consists of Ryat on vocals, Dion Paci and Tim Conley on guitar, Jason Fraticelli on the bass and Tony Catastrophe on drums. The problem with playing in a band comprised of some of the area's top musicians is availability.

Every member has some sort of side project going on. Fraticelli is off on tour with Matisyahu, and Catastrophe plays in just about every band he can squeeze into his schedule. Paci and Conley are both involved with Calvin Weston's The Nassira Project. After Catastrophe decided to leave the band prior to the release of their album, the remaining members felt a change was needed.

The album title seemed most fitting to the situation. With Catastrophe out, and Fraticelli on tour, finding players to gig with became a priority. As Human tries to play with as many different musicians as possible. Most of the traffic is coming to fill the position of drummer. As Human has three to four drummers who join them depending on the tour.

On December 8, Ryat joins Elipsis at the Tritone for a live rendition of Bjork's album Vespertine. Elipsis drummer Justin Leigh, also from Matt Davis' Aerial Photograph, recently began playing with As Human. He came up with an idea for a monthly gig where the musicians decide on a different album to cover each show. When Ryat was asked what artist she wanted to cover, she felt Bjork's challenging songs were precisely what she wanted to do.

A new As Human album is in the works, and features drum work by Nigel Sifrantus of The Cell Theory. Prior to his leaving for California, As Human recorded five songs in four weeks with Sifrantus. During this time, the band also recorded many live performances to be chopped up and used on the new record. Using Reason software, Ryat is able to further craft the sound As Human want to achieve.

This album features Ryat the producer in addition to her as a vocalist and songwriter. With a new name and some new faces, As Human is poised to break out of Philly and share their sound with the rest of the world.

Phrequency: I've seen you guys play before, when your name was still Kilo. Why did you switch your name with the album's title?

Ryat: We were going to title it "As Human" because as human to us is exactly what we were. The song is all about when you discover that your parents are human. All of the sudden you get to this 23 to 27 age where you accept the fact that they are who they are, and your not influenced or care what they think anymore. Everybody really loved that concept, so we were going to name the record that. Then right last minute we kind of just decided to flip it. We were like, OK, we don't want to be Kilo anymore because Tony's not in the band…let's just change our name. We couldn't find any metaphors that we felt were organic enough for our group. We just decided to simplify it, and flip flop the record title and the name.

P: Have you settled on a new lineup?

R: We're definitely still trying to feel out people, and were enjoying playing with different players. We did a west coast tour with Nigel Sifantus who also plays in Taylor Mcferrin's The Cell Theory. Then we played with Justin Leigh over here. We went on tour with Chris Wood from the Grimace Federation. Let's just say that Chris Wood is the most animated and fun drummer to watch.

P: What are some goals you and As Human have for the future?

R: Currently we are working on the next record. Tim Conley has really taken a step forward in the band. We have been doing a lot of the writing for this record. He's a guitar player and composer. We have to kind of adjust to whatever is happening in everybody's life. Me Dion and Tim have been working on an acoustic set, and were going to do a few gigs like that until Jason gets back. Then we plan to finish up the record.

P: What do you want your fans to take away from your music?

R: I want them to feel what I feel when I listen to music. I want them to feel excited...I want them to feel what they need to feel and intereperet it the way they need to. Sometimes you need music for different things. It can totally change your mood, or it can add to your mood and inspire something. It can soothe your mood and make you feel better. I can't ever be unreal with my music…Everything that I write is coming very much from my heart.



http://www.philly.com/philly/phrequency/genres/electronic/As_Human_.html