Good things really do come to those who wait with Fables debut album 'Change is a Slow Moving Beast'

Change can be a slow moving beast, and yet sometimes life will evolve with such ferocity, it'll leave you feeling giddy. Fables is an artist I've known for a long time. The album in question, is actually her debut. With an EP and a few early singles in the back catalogue, it seems that for a while - life was happening a lot faster than the music itself. In saying that, now that the album has finally arrived, it is an absolute treat, best enjoyed with full immersive listening - good things really do come to those who wait.

Opening with a slow fade in, Forgiving has care and tender intent. Vocal harmonies and acoustic textures stride with confident folk like character - they layer and intwine with a gradual building anticipation, as if building to a soft climax. "If I let you down - forgive me." and then just when you're ready for more, it tails off.

From there, Cacophony is brooding and sits with you in a space of feeling. Built around rhythmic bass line that drives the song forward, it asks for life to slow down with a self depreciating tone - almost like sought after validation on your own lack of wrong doing. The arrangement is minimal and intentional. An immaculate alt-folk creation.

Next the album moves through a series of introspective songs - melancholic, honest and deeply emotive. It's clear they're all personal. You can feel the connection with the charged delivery underpinning the lyrics. Musically, they draw from the same tool box. The subtle use of synthesised strings on Sensitive, Enough, and Notebook begin to progress the sound beyond traditional folk confines with a nod to early 80s pop music.

In terms of subject matter, this album is an overarching acceptance of the nature of how life moves. It's waiting for the next season, stuck in the moment before it happens, knowing that it could take a while. The themes and sounds mirror this, evolving gradually throughout almost like a metaphor for the title.

Further highlights include, Someone I Know: A sparse soundscape that marks a return to slide guitars and country-like melodies. And Sundown which carries this feeling further with smooth southern reflections built around a relaxed Sunday morning soundtrack vibe.

Change Is A Slow Moving Beast is a patient, rich debut that rewards the time it took to create. Across twelve tracks, Jess Bailey maps growth, grief, and grace with experience songwriting and a clear sense of self. The songs move with purpose, build with care, and leave a lasting mark through their warmth and honesty. This is a record that trusts the slow burn, and in doing so, Fables has crafted something worth holding onto.