Sound Is The Weapon Of The Revolution (Om Namo Narayanaya) was originally recorded live while The Hanumen were staying at a friend’s home in the midst of a tour in November of 2019. “Later, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, isolated in our own home studios, we were able to record a range of great overdubs later to fill out their grand vision for the piece,” – says Vishvambhar Seth, a founding member of the Hanumen band. 

“This song is perhaps best described as a revolutionary bhakti journey on wings of orchestral and choral Hindustani and Reggae chanting with incredible world percussion and an occasional tip of the artistic hat to Bollywood,” he continues. 

The artistic collaborators – Gaura Vani, Visvambhar Sheth, John deKadt, and Benjy Wertheimer – were helped by Julian Cartwright with his rocking bass and extraordinary string section offerings, and by the chorus singers in Portland, Oregon, and Washington DC (including Gauravani’s children,) who brought the music piece to the next level.       

Credits:

Gaura Vani: Vocals, guitar

Visvambhar Sheth: Vocals, mridanga, kartals, whompers

John deKadt: Hang drum

Benjy Wertheimer: Cajon, vocals, esraj, keyboards

Julian Cartwright: Bass, violins, violas, cellos 

Chorus singers: Sarah Maines, Heather Wertheimer, Benjy Wertheimer, Gaura Vani, Revati Buchwald, Kairava Buchwald, Kirtan Buchwald, Austin Daniel, Beth Noelle, Jen Vitale, Michael Steen-Orr, Jen Vitale, Michael Stirling, Alejandro Florez Ramos, Zoe Kian Santos

Mixed by Benjy Wertheimer at Wolf Cub Studios (Portland, OR) and Frank Stearns at MARS Mobile (Cedar Breaks, UT). Mastered by Frank Stearns at MARS Mobile.

Listen to the music: