DJAM KARET

"New Dark Age" 
(Cuneiform, 2001)

New album of one of the definitive groups of the progressive rock of the 90. For those that don't know them, Djam Karet is an instrumental American band whose style gets used to describe as space-prog - coalition that this related one with Ozric Tentacles although both groups really have its own personality and they are clearly recognizable. Djam Karet's style possesses influences of King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Edhels, something of jazz-rock coalition, ethnic percussions and electronic/ambient type Brian Eno. 
The formation this compound one, the same as in all the previous albums that I know, by Gayle Ellett electric guitar, mellotron, organ, synthesizers, recordings and effects, Mike Henderson electric and acoustic guitars, slide guitar, percussions, synthesizers, recordings and effects, Henry J. Osbourne bass and percussion and Chuck Oken Jr. drums, percussion and synthesizers. 
This new album comes closer to "The Devouring" stylistically its work of the 97, for my its best album and one of the best of last decade in progressive rock, but it is but varied and with but atmospheric and environmental topics as it happened in "Reflections from the Firepool". In general the atmospheric and environmental tracks are short, among the two three minutes, while those but rockers and fusion are but long, being about between the seven and ten minutes most. 
We have the one that is already one of my favorite tracks of the album and of the whole career of the group, "Web of Medea", a fantastic half very atmospheric, disturbing, dark, and symphonic time, with space, brilliant airs. 
We have very characteristic tracks of the group in "The Devouring" line like "No Man's Land", the topic but rocker of the album with great work of guitar soloist. 
In a line melodic and cheerful coalition we have "All Clear", where it doesn't lack the typical one long alone of guitar, in charge of the great Gayle Ellett and an end with beautiful symphonic organ. 
Neither they lack Brian Eno's tracks environmental, atmospheric and electronic inheritance or Klaus Schultze like "Eclipse of Faith" or "Kali's Indifference", or the atmospheric/ethnic like "Demon Train" or "Eulogy". "Raising Orpheus" begins being a track very space rock to become in a track dominated by the guitar melodies to the Edhels, very relax and atmospheric during all its extension. 
"Alone With the River Man" is a long track very atmospheric/ethnic that is together to "Going Home" another great very soft, symphonic topic, very characteristic of the group, with those mellotrons and that guitar that it shivers. 
Anything has changed for Djam Karet, while other groups lower the level of their albums, they have surprised us with other big album that I would say again that practically it arrives at the level of their indispensable "The Devouring", "Burning the Hard City" and "Reflections from the Firepool".

Ferran Lizana