The Cave

Ukab Maerd

The Cave
Performed By Ukab Maerd
Album UPC 747014595527
CD Baby Track ID 7926314
Label H C Productions
Released 2010-11-15
BPM 138
Rated 0
ISRC usx9p1030232
Year 2010
Spotify Plays 29
Writers
Writer Chuck Oken jr; Gayle Ellett; Richard Pinhas
Pub Co H C Productions
Composer Chuck Oken jr; Gayle Ellett; Richard Pinhas
ClearanceFacebook Sync License,Traditional Sync,YouTube Sync ServiceEasy Clear
Rights Controlled Master
Rights Easy Clear: Master
Original/Cover/Public Domain original
Country United States - California - LA

Description

A Djam Karet Side Project by Gayle Ellett & Chuck Oken, jr with Guest Richard Pinhas/Heldon. 4 Long tracks of progressive
electronic music.

Notes

In November 2010 the Electronic music group Ukab Maerd released their 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’ processed guitar loops were blended into the mix, with Oken adding in a few additional new tones as well, creating the final release.
On the over-twenty minute opening track “The Cave”, modular synths and Richard Pinhas’ reconstructed 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 the 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.


SOME REVIEWS OF THIS CD:

"Chuck Oken Jr. and Gayle Ellet 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 added later."
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



**********************************

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

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