"Satyam Shivam Sundaram" ("Truth is Eternal and Beautiful")

A song written in Hindi, India's official language, spoken mainly in the northern parts. Hindi is not the language I grew up speaking or understanding in my household, but Malayalam and English. Malayalam is a language spoken primarily in Kerala, India. Today, the majority of words in Malayalam are derived from Sanskrit, one of the world's ancient languages, so I was able to translate only the song's title.

For "Satyam Shivam Sunadram," instead of focusing on the meaning of its lyrics, I wanted to write about another aspect of this song. Sometimes a listener can be drawn to a piece of music without understanding the lyrics and enjoy it purely for its musical composition. The meaning is not completely clear, but one can enjoy other visceral aspects such as the ambience and the technical execution. The idea of "abstract enjoyment" comes to mind, in the same way, one enjoys an abstract piece of art. For me, the song's beauty and strength lie in its introduction of the Indian sitar, its steady drumbeat, its ambient, lounge technique, its smooth, electronic sounds, and Gunjan's soothing, soprano voice.

Take a listen, and let me know what you think.

Have you fallen in love with a piece of music simply for its unique sounds and rhythm? If so, which ones?

About Thievery Corporation:

• Duo—Rob Garza and Eric Hilton from Washington D.C. 
• Features other musical artists
• Exploration of various musical elements and sounds—DJ style mixes, rock, bossa nova, jazz, reggae, Indian classical, Middle Eastern, and ambient lounge sounds