Siddhartha's Spotify Wrapped

1. Brahmin Phase: "Above Me" by LEISURE: As a Brahmin, Siddhartha's path is led by a faith in knowledge that exists above him, like sacred texts and wisdom passed down from elders. LEISURE describes this sort of abstract longing through the repeated line "hope there's someone above me...guide me up when I go deep," which perfectly illustrates the Brahmin mindset, that wisdom can be gained from some higher authority rather than lived experience. Yet even through its longing, "Above Me" holds a restless, uncertain tone with lyrics like "so many problems I can't solve." Perhaps Siddhartha is also in a state of uncertainty: he masters rituals and prayers yet feels no closer to understanding the self.

2. Ascetic Phase: "Palmeras" by CLUBZ: As a Samana, Siddhartha undergoes extreme asceticism, and subsequently, denial of his self. He grasps onto the idea of riddance; he puts himself through severe hunger and physical pain to rid himself of desires, of passion, of himself. I find the melancholic sound and lyrics of "Palmeras" captures this feeling perfectly in lines like "me hace ilusión callar y no aparecer" ("I am excited to be silent and not appear") where silence and nonexistence are deemed aspirational. Yet living in this void, as Siddhartha eventually realizes, is inherently ego-centered particularly by denying the self. He concludes that enlightenment isn't something that can be won by withdrawing from the physical world entirely. CLUBZ illustrates this realization, too, as they warn "no ganarás si siempre callas" ("you won't win if you always remain silent").

3. Lover/Merchant Phase: "New Waves" by Montazona: When Siddhartha enters the city, he quite literally takes on a new life with new waves. His once bold spiritual voice is slowly drowned out by the tangible. Think sensual pleasures from Kamala, monetary gains with Kamaswami and through gambling "New Waves" embodies this constant stimulation with its metaphor of "new waves rolling in to wash away," an inescapable cycle. As the song puts it, Siddhartha effectively "buy[s] a new life" because "everyone is doing it, so it's okay." That is, he becomes more and more like the city's childlike people through his growing addiction to pleasure. Gambling, in particular, marks his most striking embrace of Samsara, the repetitive but ultimately empty cycle of material pursuits.

4. Ferryman Phase: "Thelema" by Ofdream: Moving closer and closer to Siddhartha's enlightenment, I chose two solely instrumental songs. Though entirely instrumental, "Thelema" is almost eerily captivating in its synths and ambient soundscape. Its flowing sound also mirrors Siddhartha's time at the river: just as the dark electronic melody remains steady throughout this track, Siddhartha learns to view life as a continuous, unbroken force immune to time. The lack of lyrics is also akin to Siddhartha's realization of the importance of listening, one of the greatest lessons he takes from Vasudeva, rather than relaying words. 

5. Enlightenment Phase: "Eternal Youth" by RUDE: Another song without lyrics, "Eternal Youth" is a lofi hip-hop track that evokes such a great sense of nostalgia and peace with its deliberate use of reverb and a repeated melodic sample. Yet, it's a track that I find beautifully timeless even now, despite its release almost a decade ago (do listen!). In this sense, "Eternal Youth" mimics how Siddhartha finally comes to understand life as a unified whole, finally embraces both the nostalgic past, vivid present, and uncertain future as coexisting all at once with unwavering enlightenment. 

Most Replayed Song: Among Siddhartha's top songs, no track quite captures his journey like "New Waves" by Montazona. As the song approaches its bridge, the lyrics repeat "lost in the ocean." I find this relates to Siddhartha's story in multiple (somewhat unfortunate...) ways.

For one, it captures how living in material pleasure has caused Siddhartha to become disgusted with himself and completely lose sense of spiritual direction. The new waves this society brings him (sex, profit, luxury) only pull him further towards the brink of his own death. Simultaneously, it also presents the symbol of water and anticipates Siddhartha's later relationship with it. While the ocean's water here metaphorically represents the endless cycle of Samara, the river's flow is what brings him towards his ultimate path of enlightenment. 

And it's a bit strange, maybe even telling, that a song released just last year molds so well into a novel written a century ago. Maybe Siddhartha's cycle of struggle with self and society throughout the book, as lofty as it reads, is still very much alive within us today. But anyhow, Siddhartha has some great music taste.