By Dan Fitzpatrick, October 2008
Threshold Dances, Cosmos Records (UK)
Under their new guise as Prince Rama of Ayodhya, the Dasi kids – remember them? –  took their slightly angular, always fun indie-DIY-punk-pop act up to Boston, and added a whole slew of exciting, Eastern elements to their aural palette. Nimai Larson’s drum set morphed into a djembe. Michael Collins’ synthesizer flip flops between his tried and true, out-of-this world Micro-Korg sounds and Indian, tambura-like droning. Think Dasi as we knew them, thrown into a blender with a Zach Condon, who was raised by Krishnas instead of falling for the Balkans Gypsy sound. The album is an epic, stop-and-go ride, with Taraka Larson’s sometimes foreboding, sometimes nimble and lively vocals taking you on a groovy ride through ominous forests, space and time. The ol’ Dasi kids have certainly outdone themselves.