For the last decade, Jessica Bailey’s Fables folk ensemble has been a familiar fixture in Aotearoa’s independent music scene. Their sound elegantly marries the intimacy of folk revival music with the rustic, expansive qualities of Americana and alt-country, drawing comparisons to Gillian Welch, Laura Marling and their peers. Bailey’s songwriting blends personal introspection with enduring themes. She drinks deeply from the highs, lows and mundanity of everyday reality, and delivers arresting narratives where the details she leaves out are as crucial as the ones she puts in. Underpinned by a synthesis of open tunings, lush instrumentation and elegant guitar figures, the free-flowing and heartfelt indie-folk sound of Fables warms even the coldest of hearts.