Prince Rama

***We first met the Sisters Larson (aka PRINCE RAMA OF AYODHYA aka PRINCE RAMA) in 2009 in Texas, where they had a brief stop during their inaugural road-warrior bicoastal US tour. They had feathers in their hair and gave us a CDR covered in sequins and fake fur. Since then a lot has happened: they signed to Paw Tracks, someone joined the band and left the band, they toured the US and Europe at least three more times, and—relevant to this release—they got invited to fashion a conceptual art performance for the Manhattan gallery, Issue Project Room. The topic they chose to explore was very P Ramanian: the ritual nature of exercise, body movement as a form of exorcism, trance-inducing physicality, etc. They staged an elaborate song-and-dance with costumes, crystal skulls, prayer aerobics, Krishna statuettes, and astral projections. Thus was born “Utopia = No Person,” a 19-minute shamanistic electro work-out anthem, equal parts apocalypto opera, hippie ecstasy, and new wave cardio dance. It’s a strange vision but one perfectly in keeping with the sisters’ Now Age hypothesizing and joyous psych tribalism. The B side features an otherworldly chopped-and-skrewed dream-syrup reworking by R.E.M. KOOLHAAS (aka LANDON ODIE of the Animal Image Search label). Black vinyl LP in jackets with a stylin’ cover portrait (by COREY TOWERS) of TARAKA and NIMAI decked out in unitards/leotards, gold lamé leggings, white Reeboks, the works, plus a full-color double-sided insert. LP layout by NNF faves New Feeling Industries. Edition of 600.