Samsāra

Samsāra is a song by Akiba Jonze, released as the first single from his debut album Akash on February 12 2016.

Background and production
"Samsāra" was one of the first songs Akiba had recorded for Akash during 2015, originally planning to release the album under his former stage name Iñaki.

Akiba Jonze decided to use it as the first single extracted from Akash to promote the album. It was finally released as a single on February 12 2016, almost a month after the release of Akash and quickly became Akiba Jonze's most downloaded single. The single was re-released in June 2016 by Mothermantra Records.

The single includes a remix, a vocal mix and the b-side "Claim Yourself".

Style
The title track "Samsāra" is originally of dubstep style. The beats were programmed by Akiba by using beatbox samples arranged to mimic a dubstep-styled beat. The track also uses a hang drum melody played by Akiba himself via an iPad app, as well as an acoustic guitar riff also played by Akiba himself. The song also includes octaved vocal lines.

The lyrics to the song deal with reincarnation, as Samsāra is the name given to the cycle of life, death and rebirth in Buddhism.

The single also includes the chill-out "Mantric Mashup Mix", a vocal mix and the b-side "Claim Yourself", a chill-out spoken word track originally planned for an aborted first release by Akiba Jonze called "Identity".

Track listing

 * 1) Samsāra
 * 2) Samsāra (Mantric Mashup Mix)
 * 3) Samsāra (Vocal Mix)
 * 4) Claim Yourself

Music video
The music video for "Samsāra" was shot by Akiba himself. It features Akiba, dressed in the white tunic from the album cover for Akash, singing the song and dancing to it as he glows with different colors and is regularly distorted. The music video was shot in one single take.

Live performances
"Samsāra" was performed live in Akiba Jonze's MYLENIUM concert at La Fada Ignorant, as well as in his 光 (Llum) concert in the Casa Rull House-Museum.