Ukab Maerd: The Waiting Room

Ukab Maerd is a project formed by two former members of the progressive rock band Djam Karet, Chuck Oken, jr. (analog, digital and modular keyboards, electronic percussion, effects, loops) and Gayle Ellett (analog and digital keyboards, electric guitar, effects). Joining the duo is French guitarist Richard Pinhas who adds guitar loops on three of the four tracks. For those of you expecting another Djam Karet album you may disappointed as The Waiting Room is more on the ambient side of the spectrum, brimming with electronic drenched soundscapes and weird effects.

Although only four songs, the album still clocks in at over sixty-four minutes. The songs are long and although the music is quite mellow I never found myself getting bored. In fact, this album does a great job creating moods and textures that completely envelop the listener with shimmering sound effects and atmospheric layers of sound.

It all starts with "The Cave" and at over twenty minutes in length, an ambitious effort to be sure and one that does not wear out its welcome despite its long length. Electronic bleeps and beeps begin the proceedings before synth layers and/or guitar loops build in intensity. The electronic washes of sound build up but never fully release and the ambient explorations continue throughout the song.

With "White Light, No Heat" the band creates a more ominous sound. Strange crashing effects and a dense wall of sound leads to some interesting electronic percussion. The lush soundscapes emit subtle changes with cool synth lines in the background.

Even more strange is "God's Elastic Acre" where otherworldly sound effects up the intensity level. This one conveys a much darker atmosphere with an undercurrent of foreboding that is slightly unsettling. You could almost think of this as a soundtrack of some sort of nightmarish dystopian society as the vibe is that freaky. And yes, that is meant as a compliment.

The last song is "Sati & the Trainman" with less ambience and more of an electronic rock feel. The synths and effects shimmer and vibrate with dramatic bursts of sound illuminating the soundscape and heightening the drama. An electronic riff settles in for the remainder of the song, very crisp and clean.

The Waiting Room is a fine effort and hopefully this band will continue their musical explorations in the future. If you enjoy artists like Synergy, Tangerine Dream, Jean Michel Jarre and Klaus Schulze you should find plenty to enjoy here.

Track Listing:
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)

Added: April 3rd 2011
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band's Official Site
Hits: 2965
Language: english

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