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Ahimsa
Rock · 2019

Ahimsa

U2

A spiritual bridge between Dublin and Mumbai, blending The Edge's shimmering delay with A.R. Rahman's meditative production and Sanskrit-inspired vocal harmonies.

November 22, 2019 · Island Records (2)

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Ahimsa represents a rare moment of late-career experimentation for U2, trading their usual stadium-sized bombast for a more meditative, cross-cultural dialogue. The track is built on a foundation of spiritual reverence, where the Irish rock veterans meet the legendary Indian composer A.R. Rahman. It sounds like a sunrise over a vast landscape, where the distinct textures of The Edge's chiming guitar work are softened by Eastern melodic sensibilities and lush, layered synths.

Moments Worth Listening For
The moment A.R. Rahman's daughters' voices intertwine with Bono's falsetto creating a shimmering vocal tapestry
The Edge's signature delay pedal riff shifting subtly into a raga-inflected melody during the bridge
The final fade where the Sanskrit chanting takes center stage over a heartbeat-like percussion
Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Ahimsa sound next to the rest of U2's catalogue?

Harmonies+4.0σ

The vocals lean far further into harmonies than the rest of the catalogue.

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