Customer Reviews

Recollection Harvest

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Djam Karet remains the greatest undiscovered band in the world, as the sterling performances in the first half of this release prove. Like their earlier 'split' releases "Burning The Hard City"/"Suspension & Displacement" (1991) and "Ascension"/"New Dark Age" (2001), this single-disc double-length (71:36) is divided into two parts, "Recollection Harvest" (rock) and "Indian Summer" (electronic/experimental). The two halves illuminate and influence each other, but retain distinct personalities.

The former is stunning. Most instrumental rock and roll falls into two camps, groove-based jams or riff-based unison playing. Djam Karet creates their own unique third path, highly-composed, non-repeating structures that offer extensive opportunities for soloing within the structure. It carries the weight of testosterone without giving up the cerebral -- thinking man's rock!

The second half is somewhat less successful, to my ear: world music percussion combined with droning synthesizers and string instruments. It's a fertile mixture to be sure but by no means unique anymore, and it seems to suffer from an identity crisis somewhere between rhythmic and contemplative. But if this is the test bed in which Part A is born, I'll gladly endure it.

These guys know what they're doing! If you're a follower of King Crimson, Pink Floyd (or even Steve Roach), this band is essential listening. Expect intense guitar jams coupled with perfect time changes and forays into some dark and dense soundworlds. 'Recollection Harvest' condenses the sound of Djam Karet into one cd, and it serves to introduce appreciative listeners to the group's engaging earlier works. For those who already know of Djam Karet, hesitate no further: they retain their original sound while breaking new ground. This cd improves with repeated listening. Recommended.

Possibly my favorite of this band's releases so far... somehow the songs seem more tuneful and better organized around a theme than those on previous DK CDs. In fact, a few, like "Doctor Money" are downright catchy. But don't get me wrong, the band maintains it's signature moodiness throughout; tense guitar crunch giving way to smooth, almost ambient passages of ethereal keyboards and plinking strings. This is instrumental prog rock at its most expressive.

What's a great surprise! I bought it 4 weeks ago, and since then I've listened it 6 or 7 times, and each time I find something new on it!
This CD consists of two albums. The first one (track 1-5) is muscular instrumental space rock. I'm not a big fan of this genre, but those guys know how to play non-boring and creative all-instrumental rock!
The second album (tracks 6-11) is more calm, spacey, almost new age-like, but it is also very well done!
This is my very first Djam Karet CD, and it encouraged me to explore their back catalog.