A Small Collection of Folk Tales is more literal a title than you might think – it is a mini album which is actually based on an old book of folk tales, rather than just an appropriation of their narrative style, which is a little more common.

Generally, music which is inspired by old folk tales (back before Disney, when they were actually worth a pinch of ‘coon shit*) tends towards the apocalyptic hell-stomp of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at full throttle.  Or perhaps that deranged carnival stomp which merged so comfortably with the passion for Balkan folk which was such a fascination a few years ago.

This, on the other hand, is just spooky.  It’s not threatening or unpleasant at all, but there are times when it really is downright eerie, and it’s a nice take on a familar idea.

Perhaps a little like a lusher, more constructed version of Bon Iver, before he went so utterly shit with his latest album, this has an atmospheric, misty, drowsy feel to it, and soothing vocals which can feel almost like they are singing a lullabye.  Like most lullabies though, that soothing impression can swiftly become a little creepy, as anyone familiar with Ka, the snake from the Jungle Book, will know.

The vocal delivery renders the lyrics somewhat indecipherable, so you are left with impressions – fleeting glimpses of movement and shapes in a fog of questionably benign atmospherics. There are times when that very fog becomes a little all-consuming, and perhaps the atmosphere can dominate at the expense of the actual songs, but for the most part this works really well.

In a Wild Deep – Regarding the Fox and the Wolf

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*Before anyone gets over-excited, ‘coon shit is an old expression I picked up from my dad, and ‘coon is short for raccoon, not a racist term.  Pull yourselves together, people.