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Label: Cuneiform
Tracks:
- Dream Portal - 5:26
- Hungry Ghost - 9:17
- Chimera Moon - 7:08
- Heads of Ni-Oh - 8:03
- Scary Circus - 3:41
- The Falafel King - 3:23
- Sexy Beast - 4:25
- Ukab Maerd - 7:56
- The Red Thread - 10:29
Musicians:
- Gayle Ellett, electric, ebow, & slide guitars, organ, analog & digital
nths, 8-string lute, theremin, field recordings & effects
- Mike Henderson, electric guitars, ebow, synths, field recordings & effects
- Aaron Kenyon, bass (tracks 2, 4-7 & 9)
- Chuck Oken, Jr., drums and percussion, analog & digital synths, sounds &
quences
- Henry J. Osborne, bass (tracks 1, 3, 5, & 8)
Guest musician:
- Steve Roach - Ending Guitar Atmospheres (track 8)
It's surprising how these men continue at this high quality level after so
many years of career. With their incredible discography, they have been able
to release another great work, in my opinion, even better than both 2001
releases, New Dark Age/Ascension.
"A Night for Baku" is an album that brings us the more rocker and strictly
progressive Djam Karet. A very varied album, as they usually do, but
leaving a bit appart their more electro-ambient side, as well as their more
fusion one (that are still here though in minor dose), focusing more on
their rocker and powerful side.
What can I say about tracks as "The Read Thread", "Hungry Ghost" or "Heads
of Ni-Oh"?, so progressive and with na instrumentatin so intense and
aggressive. A few guitar players currently can play with the feeling of
Gayle Ellett, an actual genius as a musician in all aspects. I have never
been able to understand why they don't talk more about him.
We have also "Dream Portal", one of the most melodic tracks of their career,
which can be used as a way to entry for those who still haven't remained
caught in Djam Karet's net. The sensational track "Chimera Moon", enigmatic
and dark, which might have been included in the exceptional album "The
Devouring". The short but intense "Scary Circus" (a few bands currently can
make keyboard and guitar solos with as much feeling as Djam Karet). And
the funny and positive "The Falafel King", with Arabic influences.
Finally, electronics, ambient and space rock come from the track "Sexy
Beast"; and chaos, experimentation and tecno rhythms are brought by the
track "Ukab Maerd", with the prestigious collaboration of Steve Roach.
Conclusion. For my taste, "A Night for Baku", has turned into one of Djam
Karet's essential albums, side by side to "The Devouring", "Burning the Hard
City" or "Reflections from the Firepool".
Rating: 9/10
Ferran Lizana
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