3.5

Release data:

Undara – Traveller
CD, Gterma, 2012

Undara (the name is derived from a track by Steve Roach & David Hudson that refers to the lava tubes of Undara, Australia) is a Portugese organic-ambient project founded in 2008 by J. A. (Wolfskin, Karnnos), and A. Coelho (Sektor 304, Sparagmos, Profan). Both musicians meant it as a way of exploring more ambient–oriented and subtle music than the kind of music they had been doing till then, that was quite industrial and experimental.

The band’s focus is the fusion of acoustic and the electronic, expanding the scope of both languages and contexts as is done by kindred spirits such as Steve Roach & Robert Rich, Jorge Reyes, Loren Nerel or Martin Franklin’s project TUU.

Composed between 2009 and 2011, the 73-minute “Traveller” is an imaginary, overtly mystic and at times even dreamy journey into sound. While attempting to fuse both a tribal and archaic feel, its moods gently shift between night and day, between dreams and vigil, as something undefined and in continual flux.
The spacious mix of subtle electronics with percussion, didj, environmental sounds, wind instruments and electric guitar is rich and occasionally even mellow and contemplative (“Morphing Waves”, “Submersion”).

This sophisticated blend of earth-bound elements forms a versatile sonic landscape on a deep journey into mental spaces and imaginative worlds beyond. Although A. Coelho left Undara at the start of 2012, the project is busy working on a record of remixes from “Traveller” plus a follow-up to this album.

Website: www.soundcloud.com/undara