I would be hard pressed to name a Jewelled Antler Collective release that didn’t do anything for me. True, I haven’t heard them all, but I’ve heard enough to keep me interested in the Collective and its many subunits for a long time. Some personal favourites include The Buried Civilizations, The Birdtree and of course the mighty Thuja. I can now add The Once and Future Herds to that list.

Lion-Colored Hills is a colourful meeting of bowed and plucked strings, rusty violins and wailing flutes. Occasionally some very nice humming and soft singing appears. Obviously the music is strongly rooted in folk, but there are elements present that give the tunes a certain psychedelic flair. There is a meditative quality to Lion-Colored Hills that has frequently made me put on this cd-r just before I hit the sack.

The material was recorded on a hillside out at Borges Ranch State Park, which really adds to the natural and earthly atmosphere of the EP. It’s the kind of music you’d expect to hear when sneaking up on a group of hoofed animals who are making music in an open clearing in a mystical forest. Fairytale stuff, I know, but The Once and Future Herds almost make you believe in fairytales again.

Ranch Raga and New Hills to me are the most impressive tracks, but overall this relaxing amalgamation of weird animal folk fascinates from the beginning to the end. This is about the best you can possibly get when you’re out looking for a 20-minute 3” psyfolk cd-r. Another Jewelled Antler winner.