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UKAB MAERD

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The Cave Edit 1
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The Cave Edit 1
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Released: Nov 18, 2010
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BAND BIO

In November 2010 the Electronic music group Ukab Maerd released their new debut CD titled “The Waiting Room”, filled with 64 minutes of analog and modular (patch-cord type) synths, signal processors & effects, altered electric guitar, and mangled nightmares.

This unusual group was created by founding members of Djam Karet: Chuck Oken, jr and Gayle Ellett, and features guest musician French Electronic music pioneer Richard Pinhas (of HELDON fame) on reconstructed guitar loops. Dreamy and surreal, this CD effortlessly combines the traditional sounds of European Electronic music of the 1970’s, with today’s more modern aesthetics.

Much of this music was recorded live in Southern California, at two different performances by Oken and Ellett. Later, Richard Pinhas’ reconstructed guitar loops were blended into the mix, with Oken adding in a few additional new tones as well, creating the final version we have here.

On the over-twenty minute opening track The Cave, modular synths and Richard Pinhas’ computer-altered guitar loops slowly give way to Ellett’s altered electric guitar and Oken’s percussion playing. Later the music slows down as Ellett plays dark melodies on the Memory Moog and Oken creates washes of light and sound. The piece ends in a foggy vision of the future. On the track God’s Elastic Acre the sound of a wounded and delirious grandfather clock drifts into the darkest corner of the basement, as a distorted voice tries in vain to break through. Lonely and melancholic, the composition closes with waves of colorful spirits floating about the room as a harmonic filter slowly sweeps away all pain. A must-have for all fans of Electronic music.

UKAB MAERD masks-backwards to BAKU DREAM and is a reference to the Djam Karet's 2003 album A NIGHT FOR BAKU. The Baku are spirits of the dream world who are devourers of evil dreams and nightmares. The music of UKAB MAERD represents what the Baku dream after spending elastic time in the twilight zone.

Track List:
1 The Cave 23:35
2 White Light, No Heat 11:28
3 God’s Elastic Acre 18:16
4 Sati & The Trainman 11:14
total time: 64:42

Chuck Oken, jr: Analog, Digital & Modular Keyboards, Electronic Percussion, Effects, Loops Processing & Reconstruction
Gayle Ellett: Analog & Digital Keyboards, Electric Guitar, Effects
Special Guest — Richard Pinhas: Guitar Loops on tracks 1, 2, 3

All music composed, improvised & performed by Ukab Maerd. Recorded Live as well as In-Studio between 2007 and 2010 in California and France.
Arranged, mixed and reconstructed by Chuck Oken at White Arrow Studios in 2010.
Mastered by Gayle Ellett in August 2010. Artwork & design by Mike Murray

(C) & (P) Djam Karet / H C Productions 2010 BMI catalog # HC016
CONTACT: chuck@djamkaret.com
www.myspace.com/UkabMaerd
Ukab Maerd EPK Press Kit is at:
www.myspace.com/ukabmaerd/blog?bID=540365018

"The Immersion Festival", featuring Steve Roach, Djam Karet, and Loren Nerell happened on October 17th 2009, from 4pm to Midnite, at the Da Center in Pomona, California. This was a FREE show, and is a one-of-a-kind event. An eight-hour interactive melding of musical tribes in celebration of sound and music, art and visuals, emerging from the moment in a unique relaxed space. The Immersion Festival will be presented as an environment of continuous sound worlds and interwoven musical performances.
The Da Center For The Arts is located in Pomona, just a half-hour drive outside of Los Angeles.
For more info, head on over to:

http://www.immersionfestival.com

The Immersion Festival will be held at:
Da Center For The Arts
252-D South Main Street
Pomona, California 91766
909.622.4556

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR OTHER SITES:
www.facebook.com/Ukab.Maerd

DJAM KARET
www.DjamKaret.com
www.myspace.com/DjamKaret
www.facebook.com/Djam.Karet
www.twitter.com/DjamKaretMusic

FERNWOOD
www.myspace.com/montgomerytsingh

The music you are hearing is from the new CD "The Waiting Room".
It is based on/built upon LIVE recordings of performances at Analogue Haven (www.AnalogueHaven.com), in Pomona, California on July 14th 2007 and also at Pitzer College, Claremont, California, on July 20th 2007.

General Info

  • Genre: Electronica / Experimental

    Location Topanga/Claremont, California, Un

    Profile Views: 12921

    Last Login: 1/26/2011

    Member Since 8/4/2007

    Website www.DjamKaret.com

    Record Label H C Productions

    Type of Label Indie

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MORE REVIEWS

"Eksperimentell og mørk electronica fra Ukab Maerd som holder til i Topanga/Claremont i California. Bandet består for øvrig av Gayle Elett og Chuck Oken, jr. som til vanlig spiller sammen i Djam Karet, og som gjesteartist finner vi franske Richard Pinas som er en foregangsmann innen elektronisk musikk. Musikken her er en amalgam av 70 tallets elektroniske musikk pent spritet opp med moderne estetikk innen nevnte sjanger. Mye av musikken er spilt inn live under to forskjellige opptredener av h.h.v. Oken og Ellett. Sener i innspillingsprosessen har så Richard Pinas sine rekonstruerte gitarloops blitt blandet i miksen. Som siste hånd på dette verket er noen nye toner fra Oken tilsatt det endelige produktet. Leser en Ukab Maerd baklengs dukker det opp Baku Dreams og det er jo navnet på Djam Karet sitt album fra 2003. Baku er forøvrig i denne konteksten å betrakte som ånder som bringer med seg onde drømmer og mareritt. Musikken til Ukab Maerd står blant annet for hva som kan finnes i krysningspunktet mellom virkelighet og drøm. Vi kan trygt fastslå at de gode musikalske ideene som oftest får tid til å stabilisere seg før låtene går videre til nye sekvenser. Uakb Maerd tar seg god tid, og pensler sine lydlandskaper omhyggelig, ofte i ambient tapning og det låter ofte svært fascinerende. Ei skive på 64 minutter er ofte i overkant mye, men her er det såpass mye spennende å forholde seg til at det faktisk går greit! Dette verket er pent variert fra låt til låt, og også innen samme låt så det blir ikke på noen måte enerverende synthbasert musikk. Det surrealistisk i musikken utføres så lekkert og finurlig at det er tilnærmet umulig og ikke å la seg forføre. Forførende er i høy grad den lange og dramatiske låten ” God's Elastic Acre” som med sin vindskjeve og vannvittige klokkespill, forrykte stemmer som kjemper for å bryte gjennom skaper en herlig og rått skremmende stemning. Utover i låten blandes andre elementer inn og stemningen konverterer til mer statisk støy før det hele blir dramatisk igjen. En dramatikk som er betydelig mer melodisk enn tidligere men fortsatt herlig ondskapsfull og skremmende! Låten bukter og snor seg deretter innom diverse musikalske lydlandskaper som også farges med tilbakevendende melodilinjer som har en viktig effekt som gjenkjennelsesmarkører i en lettere kaotisk musikk. Tross et vist kaos er det en rød tråd i musikken i form av en melankolsk stemning og en ensomhetsfølelse. Låten toner kontrastfylt ut med en følelse av at åndene så å si svermer i flokk. Eventuelle problemer løses, smerten oppløses og til slutt så forsvinner åsgårdsreien av skumle ånder i det den ser ut til å finne en fluktvei! Akkurat slikt tankespinn er en av fordelene med elektronisk musikk hvor det gis rikelig rom for individuell tolkning! Muligheten for utstrakt bruk av persepsjon gir en lytter en grådig bra frihetsfølelse når en lytter til ”The Waiting Room”. Skiva egner seg så absolutt best når en har tid og anledning til å synke inn i musikken og som nevnt tolke fritt i vei. På den episke låten ”The Cave” er det rikelig med slike muligheter og det er da også en rikholdig og fyldig låt av høy kvalitet spekket med gitareffekter og fin intensitet. Ukab Maerd leverer her ei skive som fremviser en hypnotisk musikk hvor treg rytmikk, drømmende scenarioer, uventede vedninger og et utall av spennende og vellykkede musikalske krumspring formelig står i kø. ”The Waiting Room” er ei skive som rager skyhøyt innen moderne elektronisk musikk og alle som bekjenner seg til slik musikk bør sjekke opp denne debuten, samt at de som vil ha noe annerledes og spennende musikk også bør kjenne sin besøkelsestid".
MERLIN PROG (Norway)



SOME REVIEWS

SOME REVIEWS:

"Chuck Oken Jr. and Gayle Ellett present an impressive album of electronic explorations that feature a huge array of synths. Much of it was recorded live, with additional overdubs and loops from French guitarist Richard Pinhas."
ELECTRONIC MUSICIAN Magazine


"This project is a spin off from Djam Karet. It shares the explorative nature of that band and the lack of concern for mainstream directions. Beyond that, there are few similarities. The music here is more on the ambient textural end of things and is all keyboard based. It manages to vary quite a bit from track to track and within each track. Considering the nature of the music that’s impressive. This isn’t exactly the kind of music you’d put on to get your groove on, but it’s quite cool.
Track by Track Review
The Cave:
At over twenty three and a half minutes in length, this is the epic of the disc by a wide margin. Electronic chirping and other sorts of echoey elements lead off here and begin building upwards. It works out to something akin to white noise, but with more of a pattern and a power to it. It works through in textural ways, but never gets stagnant. This grows and changes ever so gradually. Around the nine and a half minute mark a keyboard type of melody emerges over the top and threatens to take it into new directions. It never really emerges as that type of change, though. Instead it drifts away and other ambient elements take further control.
White Light, No Heat:
This track is also based on ambience. Somehow it seems like a weird field of electronic birds and wind at the onset. Then a synthesized orchestra seems to be tuning up to start playing. Other ambient elements take over and later a pounding, sort of like some weird factory and other noisier sounds join. It turns out to a more bouncing sort of harpsichord turned synthesizer melody later. It feels rather rubbery. It almost gets into a jazzy groove later, but stays fairly mellow. Although, this does rise beyond the level of ambience and into something closer to new age meets jazz and Pink Floyd. As more melody emerges there is definitely a closer tie to Pink Floyd, but also references to Tangerine Dream would not be out of place.
God’s Elastic Acre:
Dark and dramatic sounds, much like the soundtrack to a science fiction film lead this off and build upward. There is a warped gong kind of texture that calls to mind space being bent by a black hole. This goes away, though, and more of a white noise on steroids type of sound replaces it. As it continues this has a definite creepy science fiction film feeling, too and other elements are added into the mix. It shifts out to static-based noise, like a radio out of synch for a time. Then a new, more dramatic and rather melodic movement enters. It builds gradually and while less soundtrack like, still feels rather ominous. Noisier bits of melody emerge later with an echoey sort of effect. Hints of Eastern music come across. Later those Eastern elements become stronger. The cut moves through several changes and variants from there. There is a recurring melody line that can best be described as “snake charmer” music. An overpowering droning sound emerges later. It drops back down towards white noise and then a keyboard flourish that calls to mind Hawkwind a bit enters.
Sati & The Trainman:
Echoey and quite tasty, this almost feels like rock at times. It’s very much and come and go sort of sound and is twisted and tweaked, but it’s also quite intriguing. It moves to a bouncing, droning kind of sound that’s more like a Tangerine Dream. It builds quite gradually. It is pretty and tasty, if understated."
MUSIC STREET JOURNAL


"This release from 2010 offers 65 minutes of surreal electronic music. Ukab Maerd is Chuck Oken Jr (on analog, digital and modular keyboards, electronic percussion, effects, loops, processing and reconstruction) and Gayle Ellett (on analog and digital keyboards, electric guitar and effects). They are joined by French electronic music pioneer Richard Pinhas on reconstructed guitar loops on three tracks. A host of electronics are utilized to fuse traditional European electronic stylings with modern technology. The application of guitar effects and languid rhythms serves to pervade things with scope and auxiliary definition, resulting in tuneage that is inventive and mesmerizing.
Track one begins with some abstract blooping that quickly gives way to layered tonalities (which are actually Pinhas' processed guitar loops) which establish an eerie environment punctuated by additional effects and intermittent beats. Soon Ellett's own guitar mutations slide into the mix, lending their scalding sustains to the slowly building miasma of accumulative embellishments. Emerging as from a pool of dark water, Oken's rhythms generate a nucleus around which the diverse effects cluster and cavort. The composition gradually evolves a moody presence amid bubbling diodes and synthetic crickets. The introduction of tonal keyboard sweeps flavors things with portentous illumination, ushering the tune to a winsome conclusion with the resumption of Pinhas' guitar loops.
The second piece starts with gurgling that is summarily silenced by the return of those guitar loops (they're very unique and quite alluring) which are soon joined by metallic percussives with explosive edges to the beats. The loops win out, surviving the detonations and achieving a state of clarity before twinkling electronics usurp the mix and embark on a chromatic roll replete with overlapping echoes. A choral texture emerges to accompany this pattern in a passage of heavenly ascension.
For the next track, warped yet stately chimes generate a swaying presence that leads into a spooky realm of tense drones that gradually abates to allow a different Pinhas guitar loop to hold court. Atmospheric tones rise into play in conjunction with distant but shrill pulsations, some of which could very well be the plaintive wail of a tortured guitar. Sidereal expressions muscle their way into the flow, guiding things out of the darkness and into a celestial light crowded with nervous effects.
The last piece commences with dramatic keyboards tinted with vibrations. A dynamic electronic cycle takes over, propelling the song into chugging activity that eventually employs variations to achieve mounting tension. Auxiliary elements create the impression of a train rushing through nocturnal countryside. As the journey reaches its last stage additional keyboard riffs slide into the mix and generate a fascinating finale. These compositions rank high on the dreamy scale while also exhibiting a distinctly haunting factor. Hypnotic yet chocked full of unexpected surprises, this music is designed to enthrall and confound the listener."
SONIC CURIOSITY

"Gli Ukab Maerd sono un side-project degli Djam Karet, tanlentuosa rock-band dedicita al progressive più sperimentale. Tuttavia sebbene due dei membri storici di questa formazione siano qui coinvolti (Gayle Ellett e Chuck Oken jr., entrambi impegnati a stratificare suoni e idee sotto tonnellate di sintetizzatori analogici e digitali e sotto quintali di loop mesmerici), radicale è la differenza nelle sonorità prescelte.
I due musicisti si avventurano in quattro lunghe composizioni strumentali, certamente frutto di improvvisazioni, nei quali ci si stacca del tutto dalla cultura Progressive fatta di dinamici cambi tempo e di umore, assorbendo invece molta di quella alchimia pulsante che fu propria del Krautrock dei primi anni ’70. Tutto assume un sapore esoterico e reiterato: pare quasi che in sala di incisione si siano materializzati i fantasmi dei Cluster, dei Popol Vuh, dei Tangerine Dream e quindi di Klaus Schulze, facendo molto meditabondo rumore.
Tutto si tinge di quelle dilatazioni che da sempre hanno scandito quella enorme esperienza di eterodossia cosmica che fu il Krautrock di stampo più ambient. Da quelle pieghe avrebbe preso le mosse quel geniaccio dal cuore pop di Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno. Ma qui siamo cronologicamente indietro: The Waiting Room rimane fieramente ancorato agli arbori di questa surreale esperienza.
L’unica concessione al gruppo madre, i Djam Karet, risiede nel nome del duo: Ukab Maerd letto al contrario (Dream Baku) fa riferimento all’album A Night For Baku del 2003 della formazione statunitense. In The Waiting Room si inaugura un limbo onirico immanente, dal quale si è ammaliati ma dal quale si desidera anche fuggire.
Sicuramente questa proposta, così pesantemente in odor Kosmische Musik, potrà rivolgersi già a tutti coloro nelle cui vene scorre un sangue “alieno”. Ai poveri umani, ai terricoli, richiede una capacità di concentrazione (o di astrazione?) quasi ultraterrena.
E la porta di accesso a questo mondo così “altro”, resta forse la traccia di chiusura, Sati & The Trainman, che pur nei suoi undici minuti, risulta particolarmente fruibile e meno straniante. Il disco è indubbiamente ricco di fascino, di fascino oscuro, ma come mille altre volte quando vengono tirati in ballo precursori così significativi, alla voglia di approfondire si sostituisce il desiderio di ritornare alla fonte, specialmente nel caso in cui è molto tempo che ad essa non si torna."
STORIADELLAMUSICA (Italy)

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