An eclectic mix of beats, layers, and chants.

Today’s episode starts with a tribute to Shiva, otherwise known as Nataraja, the lord (or king) of dance. When he performs the cosmic ‘jig’ of destruction – Tandava – the weary universe is dissolved to make way for the beginning of another creation. A lesser known dance, called Lasya, takes place during the creation period. This version is sung by Nicolle Jensen, produced by Desert Dwellers, and remixed by Drumspyder.

A few years ago Karnamrita Dasi released a collection of songs called Prayers by Women. On this album was a song comprised of a series of sanksrit verses from the Bhagavat Purana (a Vedic text), spoken by a woman named Pingala. Srikalogy remix’s that track here, in which Pingala reflects on her life so far and her dissatisfaction therein. During the course of her story she comes to the point of divine realization, and ultimately surrender to that flow. The track is simply called Story of Pingala, and appears on Srikala’s recent album Kirtan Remix’s Volume One.

Karsh Kale weaves his magic, and beautifully remixes Laya Project’s track Glorious Sun, which is closely followed by Niyaz’s song Iman from their album Nine Heavens. This song is comprised of two Urdu texts from Mirza Salamat Ali Dabir and Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali, two 19th century Islamic poets who lived in India. The song speaks of the tendency to forget God during times when life seems easy, to remember him when times become hard, and his eternal sheltering and preserving nature. The arabic chants continue with the words La Illaha Illa Allah, this time sung by Dina Awwad with Manish Vyas, and coming from the release Sufi Splendour. This well-known mantra calls out in love to the supremacy of the One Divine Being, the word Allah itself simply translatable here as “God”.

Govinda Shakti kicks off the closing set with the Maha-Mantra from his release Sonido Espiritual (Spiritual Sound), and Chances R Good has the last word with his thoughtful, poetic, and inspirational piece Hapi Birfday .. “Remember to surrender .. and stay in the wonder…”.

(Note: In this episode, the Laya Project remix is announced as being Glorious Sun / Ya Allah / Muliya-Farihi by Ferenz Kallos, when it is actually a remix by Karsh Kale of Glorious Sun.)

Alternate MP3 Link – Mantra Radio – Jan 31st 2013.mp3