Djam Karet: Swamp Of Dreams

Djam Karet should need no introduction on these pages. The Californian band has been making music for over three decades and have released seventeen studio albums, not including compilation and specialty projects. No one can say they haven't been busy or true to their allegiance of fans and this is especially the case regarding their latest album Swamp Of Dreams. This set of tunes have all been previously released but on harder to find compilations and fund-raising projects. The band has seen fit to make this set more readily available to their fans. A good idea indeed.

Band members include:
Gayle Ellett (electric and acoustic guitar, Greek bouzouki, organ, Moog, Mellotron,
Rhodes, percussion, field recordings, effects on tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6)
Chuck Oken Jr. (drums, sequencer and drum programming, modular analog and
digital synths/samples on 1,2,3,4,5,6)
Mike Henderson (electric and acoustic guitars, slide guitar, bass synth, effects)
Aaron Kenyon (bass on track 7)
Henry Osborne (bass, bottled bass, elephant bass, effects on tracks 1,3,5,6)

Here the band members are looking back in time as these songs were recorded between 1990 and 2006 with a running order of newest to oldest. The first track "Voodoo Chases The Muse" is classic Djam Karet with a menagerie of spacey synths and keys creating varying textures and a colour palette of sound. Lots of solos as well that add to the song's trippy psychedelic nature. "The Shattering Sky" has a darker tone at the start. The crystalline keyboards reminded me of Kraftwerk after which there are references to Pink Floyd, especially in the general moodiness of the piece. Bizarre effects, tribal percussion, deep bass, lovely acoustic and fuzzy lead guitar highlight the tripped out rock of "Pentimento" while the space rock of "New Light On The Dark Age" revels in a deep drum/bass groove and waves of synths. The last two songs; the ambient but freaky "Inventions Of The Monsters" and the title track are cool as well, etching their mind expanding musical explorations deep within your brain.

Whether you call this psychedelic rock or space rock it makes no difference. It is an excellent album any way you slice it.

Track Listing:
1. Voodoo Chases The Muse (2006) (7:05)
2. The Shattering Sky (2005) (6:02)
3. Pentimento (2005) (6:34)
4. New Light On The Dark Age (2001) (8:10)
5. Inventions Of The Monsters (1990) (7:20)
6. Swamp Of Dreams (1990) (8:48)

Added: February 18th 2016
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band's Official Site
Hits: 1640
Language: english

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