TLDR: This is a contemporary electronic remix of the "Om Tare Tuttare" Tibetan Buddhist mantra, produced by conscious electronic artist DJ Taz Rashid and performed by kirtan artist Donna De Lory. The track reimagines sacred sound for modern listeners by layering mantra vocals over subtle electronic production, creating a bridge between contemplative practice and contemporary music culture. The accompanying video captures De Lory experiencing the music while walking through Portland, Oregon, translating the inward centering of mantra into the physical act of moving through urban space.
What is Om Tare Tuttare?
Om Tare Tuttare is a foundational mantra in Tibetan Buddhist practice, particularly associated with Tara, the female bodhisattva of compassion and swift action. The mantra translates roughly as "Om, Tara, liberator, mother of all the victorious ones," and its repetition is meant to invoke Tara's protective and liberating presence. Traditional practitioners chant this mantra as a form of devotional practice, using its rhythmic syllables to anchor consciousness and generate compassion.
Donna De Lory brings this sacred sound into the contemporary music sphere through kirtan, the Indian devotional singing tradition that emphasizes call-and-response and participatory chanting. Her vocal interpretation maintains the integrity of the Sanskrit/Tibetan syllables while adapting them for Western listeners unfamiliar with traditional Buddhist liturgy. The mantra's core sound—Om Tare Tuttare—repeats throughout the track, sometimes layered with related mantras like Om Mani Padme Hum, the most widely recited mantra in Mahayana Buddhism.
How Does DJ Taz Rashid Approach Mantra Production?
DJ Taz Rashid is a conscious electronic producer who specializes in blending traditional spiritual vocal material with contemporary production techniques. His "Radiant Mix" of "Om Tare Tuttare" demonstrates a particular philosophy: rather than obscuring the mantra beneath electronic texture, he uses production to amplify its emotional resonance and accessibility.
The remix employs several production strategies:
- Minimalist arrangement: The mix foregrounds De Lory's vocal performance, allowing the mantra to remain the central focus rather than becoming texture.
- Rhythmic grounding: Subtle electronic percussion and bass provide a steady pulse that makes the mantra feel danceable or at least physically engaging, rather than purely devotional.
- Atmospheric layering: Electronic pads and ambient elements create space around the vocal, preventing the track from feeling crowded or overly produced.
- Tonal consistency: The production maintains warmth and acoustic-like qualities despite being electronically generated, honoring the organic nature of vocal mantra.
This approach reflects a growing movement in conscious music production: the recognition that sacred sound and electronic music production are not inherently opposed. Instead, when executed with intention, electronic production can make mantra-based practice accessible to listeners who might not engage with traditional acoustic kirtan or Buddhist liturgy.
Why Does the Video Show Urban Walking?
The artistic vision for the music video reveals an important philosophical choice about how mantra practice functions in modern life. De Lory, walking through Portland, Oregon while listening to the remix, intentionally re-creates the experience of being "centered by" the mantra while simultaneously engaging with the external world. This is distinct from meditation hall listening or formal practice contexts.
In traditional Buddhist and yogic settings, mantra repetition often occurs in protected spaces—temples, ashrams, meditation rooms—where the external environment supports internal focus. The video instead proposes a different relationship: that the mantra can act as a portable container for consciousness, creating inner coherence even while navigating the sensory complexity of urban streets, pedestrians, and architecture.
This visual strategy aligns with a contemporary approach to contemplative practice sometimes called "integrated spirituality"—the idea that spiritual centering should not require withdrawal from ordinary life, but rather should enhance one's capacity to move through ordinary life with awareness. De Lory's walking becomes a form of moving meditation, with the Radiant Mix providing sonic scaffolding for that awareness.
What is the Relationship Between Mantra and Electronic Music?
Historically, mantra and electronic music have occupied different cultural territories. Mantra is rooted in oral traditions spanning millennia, while electronic music is a 20th-century invention. Yet both share a fundamental characteristic: they work with vibration, frequency, and repetition to alter consciousness.
The Radiant Mix represents a contemporary synthesis in which these traditions inform each other. From the electronic production side, the track respects principles of minimalism and intentionality—using fewer elements, more space, and greater clarity than mainstream electronic dance music. From the mantra side, the track acknowledges that the medium of transmission (vocal performance in an acoustic hall versus vocal performance over electronic production) does not diminish the mantra's potency; it merely changes the context.
This synthesis is neither appropriation nor dilution. Instead, it reflects the reality that sacred sounds are living practices—they evolve and adapt to the sensibilities and technologies of the cultures that inherit them. Tibetan Buddhism itself remixed earlier Indian Buddhist traditions through Tibetan language and cultural forms. Similarly, electronic production becomes a natural evolution of that same adaptive impulse.
How Does Repetition Function in This Track?
The mantra repeats continuously throughout the roughly six-minute track. This is not accidental; repetition is the functional core of mantra practice. In traditional Hindu, Buddhist, and yogic contexts, the repetition of mantra (called japa) is believed to generate cumulative effects—gradual shifts in consciousness, emotional tone, and energetic state.
From a neurological perspective, repetitive, rhythmic sound stimulation can influence brainwave states, heart rate variability, and emotional regulation. The familiarity of the repeated syllables creates a container within which listeners can relax their analytical mind and access deeper states of receptivity. The Radiant Mix leverages this principle by making the repetition feel musical and grooved rather than monotonous, thus maintaining engagement across multiple listen-throughs.
The track also layers multiple mantric phrases—Om Tare Tuttare alongside Om Mani Padme Hum—creating harmonic richness within the repetitive structure. This prevents the listening experience from becoming hypnotic in a shallow sense; instead, it maintains subtle complexity that rewards sustained attention.
Where to Go From Here
If this track resonates, several directions for deeper engagement exist:
- Study Tara practice: Research Tara, the female bodhisattva, and her role in Tibetan Buddhism. Many books and teachings explore Tara visualization and liturgy.
- Explore other DJ Taz Rashid productions: His catalog includes similar explorations of sacred sound and conscious electronic production.
- Attend kirtan: Donna De Lory performs live kirtan internationally. Live call-and-response singing creates a different (often more participatory) experience than listening to recorded vocal performance.
- Listen across platforms: The track is available on streaming services, allowing you to integrate it into personal meditation, walking, or movement practices.
- Examine the intersection of spirituality and electronic music: Artists like Laraaji, Hans Zimmer (in his meditative work), and others are exploring how electronic production can deepen rather than dilute contemplative experience.
