“As a musician, my material is sound,” says Indian Trap. “I’ve always considered myself a sound designer. When I learned that the Shaivite Hindu tradition believes that matter is vibration and the cosmos is sound, it got me thinking! We talk about someone having great vibes, don’t we? Don’t we say that some people vibe well together? These seemingly trivial words have a profound meaning! Mantras are prayers that ‘vibe’ with the universe. What better lyrics can a composer ask for? Vocalist S. J. Jananiy brought the mantras, and I brought my music! Three thousand years old mantras that go right to the heart of matter and contemporary music that has emerged from the streets, from ordinary people… we’re talking about roots! Music is the medicine for the soul, Plato said. At its best, music is a cosmic energy that removes negativity and obstacles, bringing peace, focus, and satisfaction to all who listen. Ever heard of Bach? The journey may be long, but we are on the right track.”

Jay Singh, aka J2, is the successful record producer and composer behind Indian Trap. Jay rose to prominence after winning the prestigious Ministry of Sound DJ Idol Competition in 2002. He has since produced and remixed songs for various artists, including LL Cool J, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Lil Wayne, and Madonna. He burst on the pop music scene as J2 with the release of the smash hit “Dare La La La,” which he co-wrote and produced for Shakira’s 10th studio album; the track debuted in the Top 10 of most international charts. A reworked version titled “La La La” Brazil” was the official theme song for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and is featured on the One Love, One Rhythm World Cup album. The song was also used in a T-Mobile commercial and Shakira’s Activia commercial, which became the most shared advertisement of 2014 and has over 2 billion streams to date. J2’s compositions have appeared in over 100 films, trailers, video games, television shows, and advertisements. They gathered over 250 million streams across YouTube and other major DSPs.

Vocalist S. J. Jananiy was a child prodigy. She is now a Multi-Global-Award-Winning Composer. She studied Carnatic (South Indian), Hindustani (North Indian), and Western classical vocal traditions. She has an ATCL Vocal, Grade 8 in Western Classical Music, and studied piano and Western Classical Music theory at Trinity College, London. She plays the harp and the synthesizer. She owns JSJ Audio and 3 Dot Recording Studios, providing services as a film-score composer, songwriter, performer, arranger, music producer, and sound engineer. She graduated from SMC, Chennai, with a degree in Economics. She has an M.A. in Indian music and an M. Phil from QMC, Chennai. She is currently pursuing a Ph. D. in Indian Music. She has received the Indian National Award, State Awards & many other Awards. Between 2018 and 2022, she received nine Global Music Awards, PSAs, and the ICMAs.

As a youngster, keenly watching her uncle playing keyboard and guitar, S. J. started to play the keyboard whenever she sang. She started acquiring knowledge in music through her uncle’s guidance and support. Each day after her school work was completed, she simply loved to sing along with karaoke and grew up listening to A. R. Rahman’s soundtracks, where she got familiar with the chord progressions which she learned to play on the keyboard. Jananiy and her uncle designed the concept-series Classic Waves — Kannan songs in Tamil in 2007, including traditional songs for which Jananiy conducted, arranged and produced music that is the Fusion album series. This concept fetched them excellent recognition and became a popular number. Her discography has constantly continued to grow.

“Working with Jay for this very special album was highly explorative, fusing the Vedic Mantras, his Indian Trap music, and many vocalizations,” said S. J. Jananiy. “The songs have at least 30 different vocal layers, along with a unique collage of taans, aalaaps, swaras, and improvisations that blend beautifully with harmonies for Jay’s amazing tracks!”

The music of India is amazing to my Western ears, diverse and inspiring, also complex and steeped in history. All that matters is whether you like the music, as I do. One can always enjoy all seventeen tracks of this sound without knowing much about it. I am a curious listener and constantly seek to find out more. Blending traditional ideas with modern technology, what I love most about this album is the voice gliding upon the foundation of beats and melodic magic.

I am not familiar with Hindu traditions and mythology, so to get deeper into understanding what I am hearing, I did a simple review of Wikipedia just as you could do, looking up interesting words and terms. Here is a short version of what I have discovered.
The word Mantra might be translated as “tool of thought” in Sanskrit. Mantras are recited to overcome the problems and obstacles of life, and are intended as prayers for the commencement of a particular event, like marriage, always on the occasion of childbirth, as a cure for an illness, to improve a sour relationship, or simply to begin any auspicious ceremony without hindrance.
When we repeat a mantra, we direct our energy inward, allowing us to connect with our deeper selves and gain greater control over our minds; mantra chanting, or singing, has helped millions of people improve their lives and effect positive change. Imagine that matter is vibration and the cosmos is sound. Mantras are prayers that harmoniously vibrate with the universe. Our words, actions, and emotions contribute to a larger energetic field known as prana, or life force. We emit a wave of energy into the world whenever we think or do something. When we repeat a mantra, we direct our energy inward, allowing us to connect with our deeper selves and gain greater control over our minds. It has helped millions of people improve their lives and effect positive change.
“Three thousand years old mantras that go right to the heart of matter and contemporary music that has emerged from the streets, from ordinary people… we’re talking about roots. Music is the medicine for the soul, Plato said. At its best, music is a cosmic energy that removes negativity and obstacles, bringing peace, focus and satisfaction to all who listen. Ever heard of Bach? The journey may be long, but we are on the right track”, opines J2.

“Working with Jay for this very special album was highly explorative, fusing the Vedic Mantras, his Indian Trap music, and many vocalizations,” said S. J. Jananiy. “The songs have at least 30 different vocal layers, along with a unique collage of taans, aalaaps, swaras, and improvisations that blend beautifully with harmonies for Jay’s amazing tracks!”

The hypnotic beats throughout are driven with Indian flutes, drums, melodic synths, Indian temple bells, sound healing instruments and 808 basses, to name but a few elements. Kicking off the album is one of seven soulful Bija mantras (pronounced beej) mantras focused on the seven chakras, which are nestled amongst ten primary tracks that celebrate gods and deities including Shiva, Durga, Parvati, Vishnu, Gayatri, Saraswati, Krishna, Lakshmi, Ganesh, and Kali.

“I feel today’s music is losing the magic of what once was and does not have the same earth-moving, society-shaping effects as that of the past,” he notes. “Just like Plato remarked that Music is medicine for the soul, I wanted to create music that has all the mantra elements in a modern-day sound that will appeal to everyone of all ages including the next generation. It is my honor to share this divine musical gift, I hope it is received in good health and peace.”

Jananiy’s vocals increasingly fulfill a prophecy put forth in 2018 by Indie Pulse Music, who wrote, “She has an astonishing voice and deceptive range — a brief perusal of her professional résumé might suggest, to the uninformed, that she is a singer whose sound is strongly connected to the Indian world, but that’s not the case. Jananiy has a voice ready for the global pop stage, capable of intense emotional shifts, and flawlessly tuned into the song’s musical demands. Many listeners will marvel at the control she exerts over her vocal instrument…”
The music never stops.

LINKS
Multiplatforms: https://ffm.to/k58wjk4
S. J.: https://sjjananiy.com/
S.J. social links: https://www.flowcode.com/page/jananiysj
India Trap: https://www.indiantrap.com/
The Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@IndianTrap

Track listing
1. Muladhara (1st Chakra Root C – LAM) 2:22
2. Parvati Mantra 3:21
3. Ganesh Mantra 3:42
4. Swadhisthana (2nd Chakra Sacral D – VAM) 2:22
5. Saraswati Mantra 3:43
6. Gayatri Mantra 3:21
7. Manipura (3rd Chakra Solar Plexus E – RAM) 2:22
8. Vishnu Mantra 3:03
9. Shiva Mantra (Om Namah Shivaya) 3:36
10. Anahata (4th Chakra Sacred Heart F – YAM) 2:22
11. Lakshmi Mantra 3:33
12. Durga Mantra (Om Katyayanaya Vidmahe) 3:15
13. Vishuddha (5th Chakra Throat G – HAM) 2:22
14. Krishna Mantra 3:36
15. Ajna (6th Chakra Third Eye A – OM) 2:22
16. Kali Mantra 3:00
17. Sahasrara (7th Chakra Crown B – AH) 3:00