The Unimaginable

The Unimaginable by Ram Dass: A Journey Through Grief and Healing

In his debut as a singer-songwriter, Ram Dass, a longtime music producer, offers The Unimaginable – a profound journey through grief, loss, and the unexpected happiness that can emerge on the other side. Released on October 21, 2022, this intimate collection of folk songs confronts the death of his newborn son while extending a compassionate hand to anyone facing loss, self-criticism, and isolation.

The Unimaginable by Ram Dass walks through the stages of grief with an acoustic guitar and small backing band of drums, bass, violin, and cello. Each song is a delicate poem set to music, drawing inspiration from singer-songwriters like Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Jason Mraz, and Ray LaMontagne. Humanity itself is held in this music as the tragedy of mortality is mourned with exquisite soundscapes and comforted through simple three-part vocal harmony.

About The Unimaginable

The title speaks to multiple layers of the human experience: the unimaginable loss itself, the unimaginable journey through grief, and the unimaginable happiness that Ram Dass discovered after walking through profound sorrow. This EP is the companion to “And Now He Has Wings” (2021), together forming two sides of the coin of grief and healing.

While “And Now He Has Wings” viewed the human life cycle from an ecstatic, omniscient point of view, The Unimaginable brings that story into the first-person lived experience. The songs on this EP are truly Ram Dass’ feelings at different points in his journey through grief – raw, real, and profoundly relatable. “I have never created something so personal before,” Ram Dass explains. “I wasn’t doing this just for music’s sake, but to really express something.”

Ram Dass, who has synesthesia and experiences music visually, wanted to create something that would be exquisite and compelling if it were a painting. The stripped-down arrangements of The Unimaginable allow the emotional honesty to shine through. With finger-picked acoustic guitar, strings, and his distinctive three-octave vocal range creating layered harmonies, Ram Dass evokes both sadness and serenity throughout the EP.

The Story Behind the Songs

“Prelude for Siddhartha” began as an improvised piano composition that Ram Dass created when feeling the desire for peace amidst a wave of sadness. He sent the recording to cellist Shannon Hayden, who added her parts with crystalline sweetness.

“April 13” is named for the day Ram Dass’ son passed away. Recorded as a vocal improvisation in one or two takes, this song confronts the feeling of knowing someone you love is going to die, experiencing that death, and finding openness afterward. “Death is so much like birth, but flipped,” Ram Dass reflects.

“Niagara” was written while Ram Dass stared at Niagara Falls, unable to process the wonder or majesty of nature while knowing his son was going to die. His pregnant wife was on the opposite coast processing the news alone.

“Trust in the Blue” explores maturing and coping with the unknown. “The blue is that unknown – things come out of the blue – so this is trusting the things we don’t know about, and trusting that it’s all going to be okay,” says Ram Dass.

The title track “The Unimaginable” speaks to finding happiness despite pain and emotional anguish, discovering that joy can spring up in unexpected moments rather than relying on big accomplishments to feel complete. For Ram Dass, the title represents the entire arc: unimaginable loss, unimaginable journey, and unimaginable happiness on the other side

Credits

Ram Dass Khalsa – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Piano, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering

KJ Song – Backing Vocals, Co-writer

Shannon Hayden – Violin, Cello, Additional Engineering

Jared May – Synth Bass, Electric Bass, Additional Engineering

McKay Garner – Drums (on “The Unimaginable”)

Tripp Dudley – Drums (on “April 13”)

 

About Ram Dass – Musician & Producer

Ram Dass (Musician & Producer) creates music that is spiritually and emotionally restorative. As a producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter, he inspires unique potency through collaboration and improvisation. He performed at the 2019 GRAMMY Awards, has played at Carnegie Hall, and continues to tour with GRAMMY-nominated artist Snatam Kaur.

Born into a family of professional musicians, Ram Dass developed an encyclopedic knowledge of musical genres that he calls upon to create novel and moving approaches to music production and songwriting. Production credits include Snatam Kaur, Jai-Jagdeesh, Nirinjan Kaur, and the film score for AWAKEN (2022). In 2020, he produced the EP “Underworld” in collaboration with Pulitzer Prize winner Ian Urbina.

The Unimaginable represents Ram Dass’ emergence as a singer-songwriter after decades as a renowned producer. This debut showcases his ability to reach out in the universal language of song with a deep understanding of the challenges of being human. Lyrically and sonically poetic, The Unimaginable is a balm to the broken heart.