What is Lotus Dog?
Lotus Dog is socially conscious music that blends rock, electronic, and hip-hop influences. A rich sonic landscape of driving guitars, drums and electronics are punctuated by liquidy down-tempo grooves and beautiful, accessible melodies.
Lotus Dog was created by the brother and sister songwriting team of producer TSO and vocalist Jolie. Vocals range from all-out power to the sweetest filigree, varying in mood from driving and energetic to melancholy and haunting.
The lyrics of Lotus Dog stem from deep philosophical contemplation of the world and our place in it. Themes include socially conscious political commentary, the inward journey, evolutionary spirituality, the Universe, and celebrating the better nature of humanity.
The Music
Lotus Dog's self-titled debut release features more than two dozen guest musicians and contributors. Combined with Jolie’s heart-felt vocals and TSO’s avant garde production style, this rich assortment of musical elements results in an emotional, thought-provoking blend of rock, electronic, and trip-hop flavors.
The music departs from convention with with few rules, and few boundaries. Guitars, drums, electronic loops and effects, and a myriad of exotic and orchestral instruments are utilized - varying in mood from aggressive and driving to melancholy and atmospheric. But it’s the lyrics that most define the intent of Lotus Dog. Each song is an offering of introspection and contemplation for the soul. Not inspirational or spiritual music per se, Lotus Dog is more an experiment in the integration and transcendence of spiritual views within music that moves body and soul.
Click the songs to the right to listen to Lotus Dog right now, or check us out on ITunes, Amazon, or CD Baby.
The Quest
Lotus Dog was conceived as a vehicle for spiritually-inspired artistic exploration beyond the confines of pre-existing definitions of art and spirituality. Our intent was to dive deep into the creative heart of the cosmos and see what "new" we could discover about ourselves, and the nature of artistic expression through music.
The result was both surprising and challenging, revealing as much about our own resistance to the unknown as it did pure revelation.
One difficulty is maintaining an attitude of authentic openness and humility. On the one hand, we are motivated by a need for greater meaning – to deepen our awareness, express that new awareness through sound, and hopefully contribute something of value to culture in the process. On the other hand, we tend to expect recognition, comfort, or reward for this effort as individuals, and herein lies the paradox.
We are learning that the perception of our inner nature only deepens to the extent we release our attachment to shallower definitions of who and what we are. In the same way that humanity had to relax its belief in the world being flat in order for the realization of it being round to take hold in consciousness, the experience of expanded awareness depends on recognizing our true self as inseparable from the evolutionary continuum of life itself.
So if our goal is to realize truth beyond personal knowledge, any attachment to or belief that we are fundamentally separate from that truth is like trying to have our cake and eat it too. This is not to say that we can't make enjoyable and even meaningful music with separate-self identity firmly in place. We can do our best to improve upon our past efforts and grow personally. We can even have a good time.
But since our aspiration is to express the highest context possible, as agents of ultimate truth (audacious as it may be), only by getting ourselves "out of the way" is anything truly significant discovered.
This is proving to be quite a task, and an extraordinary adventure...
Listen to Lotus Dog Music
Breathe A vital power groove about recognizing our universal Self and surrendering to the respiration of Love. Features the guest lyrical stylings of rap artist Rose.
Alive A carpet ride of eastern ambience and prayer represent devoted embrace of the spiritual path. Features the silky vocals of Keisha Griffin.
I Follow A determined social commentary about our complicity in driving the military machine when we do not promote a peaceful system to supplant it. Checkout Lotus Dog's music video for this song!
Thank-You A fluid trip-hop acoustic and electronic prayer of redemption, gratitude, and heart-felt surrender to Ultimacy.
Shadow An energetic, heart-opening passage the darker side of human nature and suffering.
Centuries This hard-driving song takes a deep-time perspective on the Universe awakening as the human story and with it a promise to live on its behalf. Featuring the dynamic poetry of rap duo The Conscious Daughters.
Mirror Restless world rock anthem for world-centric consciousness and having the courage to pursue the awakening of love in human culture. Features the amazing tabla playing by Tameem Afzali.
