2 minute read
RADHA KRISHNA RECORDS
RADHA KRISHNA RECORDS RADHA KRISHNA RECORDS
Upcoming Album: Mantra Lounge Volume 4
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The eagerly anticipated Mantra Lounge Volume 4 album is planned to be released in summer 2021. Some beautiful tracks have already been recorded in the studio in 2020 by devotional artists including Ananda Monet, Asta Bria, Gaura Vani, Govinda Priya, Kal Key, Madhvi Mulji, Radha Londonisvara dasa and Radhika Ranjana dasa.
Work is in progress on the album artwork and on the right are some of the initial designs for the album cover.
Gaura Vani dasa on his new song ‘The Sun Rises in the West’
From where does a new song come? The ether? The creative mind of a musician? This song was born when I stumbled across a recording from the 1970s or 80s of the humble saint Akincana Krishna Das Babaji Maharaja. Godbrother and dear friend of our Founder-Acharya Srila Prabhupada, they had a deep and intimate relationship. Babaji’s voice and lyrics, ‘Jaya Deva Hare, Jaya Rama Hare, Jaya Krishna Hare, Jaya Sacinandana Gaura Hare,’ was a river flowing into my dusty heart. I found the mantras bubbling on my lips without my awareness and the currents filled the nooks and crannies of my life lifting me with them.
Years later, when Kapila Monet encouraged me to collaborate with Jagannatha Suta and Mantra Lounge I was a blank slate. Then I found those same mantras on my lips. They’re simple. Of the village. Of the Earth. Of humble people with chapped hands, prayers woven into their labours. Now I had a plan. Only a voice and sounds of the earth. Simple ektar. Wooden Rajasthani kartals. Stripped down sound. Essential. But as always these mantras had a destination of their own. They were thirsty for sounds, for beats, for violin, flugelhorn, tabla, bass and voices. Soon everyone in the village had appeared at the studio doors offering something unique from their hearts. We surrendered.
‘The Sun Rises in the West (Jaya Deva Hare)’ features my children Revati, Kaira and Kirtan. As I received this song from an elder, I now gift it to my children. This is also a true collaboration with producer Jag. We kept one vision between us at all times. How can we work in a way that allows us to continue to serve together for the rest of our lives? Please invite this river of mantra into your heart and watch where it carries you.
