“Tattva” by Kula Shaker
Of course “Kula Shaker” is a very, shall we say unorthodox name for a band from the UK. Said moniker was actually derived, most basically put, from Hinduism. Lead singer and founder Crispian Mills went on a spiritual quest in India which profoundly impacted his artistry. And considering that “Tattva” is one of the earliest song’s in the band’s catalog, that belief system also had an impact on its lyrics.
So with that in mind, the wording of this song, especially as far as the third verse is concerned, is not that easy to comprehensively understand. But as far as the title/chorus goes, what the vocalist seems to be speaking to is a concept like the inconceivability of the universe, if you will. Indeed, it can be said that this song is more philosophical than it is religious or spiritual. And in terms of the verses, what the narrator seems to be saying is something like when “the truth” of the vastness of reality finally hits you, it’ll do so in a way that you wouldn’t expect.
Ultimately, this is the kind of song where a listener can decide to try to decipher all that’s going down at his or her own risk. But as one analyst has pointed out, Kula Shaker, during the band’s early goings, were similar to The Beatles and other such acts which went through their own phases of being influenced by Eastern mysticism. And considering the overall indecipherability of the lyrics, one would have to presume that this song blew up more due to its sound than what’s being said.
Kula Shaker
Kula Shaker is a rock band from London that had notable success when they initially came out. For instance, the group’s debut LP, “K” (1996), topped the UK Albums Chart. But since the turn of the century, the music charts have not been nearly as kind to them. However, the band remains extant as of the writing of this post.
Three of its members who participated on “Tattva” – vocalist C. Mills, bassist Alonza Bevan and drummer Paul Winterhart – remain down for the cause. And at the time this song was dropped, they were joined by keyboardist Jay Darlington.
“Tattva”
Kula Shaker released “Tattva” on the 24th of June 1996.
This track (or more specifically its Lucky 13 Mix) served as the lead single to the aforementioned “K”, therefore also making this the earliest song in Kula Shaker’s discography. The whole project is a product of Columbia Records and Sony Music Entertainment.
“Tattva” also stands as one of the most impressive hits in the band’s catalog, with the song most notably peaking at number four on the UK Singles Chart.
There are two official music videos to this song, respectively being designed for European and American audiences.
The writing of “Tattva” is credited to the quartet of musicians which made up Kula Shaker at the time the song came out. Its producer is John Leckie, who was one of the top names in the game back around the mid-1990s.
The “K” Album
“K” was released on September 16 of 1996 by psychedelic rock band from England, Kula Shaker. It was released as their debut studio album.
Record producers John Leckie, Shep & Dodge and Crispian Mills were responsible for its production.
American record label, Columbia Records, was responsible for the album’s release.
In the United States, “K” sold over 130,000 copies within its first week of release and ranked No. 200 on the Billboard 200. It however topped the OCC in the UK and went on to receive a 2x platinum certification from the BPI there. The album also put up an enviable performance in Canada, peaking at the apex of the OCC there.
In Colin Larkin’s book, “All Time Top 1000 Albums”, released in 2000, “K” ranked 879.
