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Fay’s career was characterised by its unconventional trajectory. He released two albums in the early 1970s, ‘Bill Fay‘ (1969) and ‘Time of the Last Persecution‘ (1971), before fading into obscurity. Despite their initial commercial failure, these records gained a cult following over the years, appreciated for their melancholic beauty and spiritual depth. His music, often likened to that of Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen, blended folk, rock, and orchestral elements with deeply personal lyrics. Whilst Bill Fay’s music did not achieve significant commercial success during his early career, his 2012 album ‘Life Is People‘ marked a notable milestone, reaching number 56 on the UK Albums Chart. This achievement reflects the growing recognition of his work in later years.

Fay’s songs often explored themes of humanity, faith, and resilience. In later years, he spoke about faith in broad, universal terms, emphasising kindness, compassion, and the search for meaning rather than rigid dogma. His music resonated with both secular and religious listeners due to its introspective and humanistic approach. Whilst faith was a significant part of his songwriting, he wasn’t part of the 1970s ‘Jesus freak’ movement in the way some rock and folk musicians of the time were.

Fay’s mystique was further enhanced by his reclusive nature. He spent decades away from the industry, working ordinary jobs while his music quietly influenced new generations. His ability to craft songs filled with wisdom, melancholy, and understated beauty made him a singular voice in British music, ensuring his legacy would live on long after his passing. Nick Cave has spoken highly of Bill Fay’s music, recognising his songwriting talent and emotional depth, and Fay’s resurgence in the 2000s was partly due to recognition from artists like Cave. 

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Fay’s contributions to music were recognised by both fans and fellow musicians. Though he remained a largely private figure, his recordings gained respect for their craftsmanship and lyrical depth. His passing marks the end of a career that, whilst unconventional, left a lasting imprint on the folk and alternative music landscape.

it’s here it’s yours — welcome to the world, baby https://t.co/R7KuDBnAW9

— Fenne Lily (@FenneLily) September 18, 2020

Lockdown swirls around Breach. Although, in this instance, it is Lily’s self-enforced, pre-pandemic period of isolation in Berlin that drew an album out of her. Nonetheless, now we all have a sense of how that probably felt.

The album opens with the whispering of ‘To Be a Woman Pt 1.’, which encapsulates the series of expansive themes that Breach flirts with. This is followed by the first two of Breach’s singles, ‘Alapathy’ and ‘Berlin’.

In isolation, ‘Berlin’ was a great single. As the third track of the album it is little less than perfect. At just fifteen lines, you can’t help but be reminded of one of those fragmentary tracks like ‘Wish You Were Here’, where every word is precious. It was composed out of voice notes that Lily managed to recover after a phone crisis during the trip.

Lily lets us all the way into her thought process. Like being inside your own brain, it makes complete sense and no sense at all. ‘I, Nietzsche’ is perhaps the best example of this; it circles around all its own points. By contrast, the latest single, ‘Solipsism’, is a fresh burst of energy – it is certainly one of Breach’s standout moments.

Following ‘Solipsism’ is one of the most memorable tracks on Breach: ‘I Used To Hate My Body But Now I Just Hate You’. The universality of this song translates into lines such as, “I read all of the books you recommended / I listened to your friend’s band all the time.” As the chorus builds for the first time, into the titular sentiment, you feel Lily regaining her autonomy with every word.

This is one of the ways that Lily’s new, cynical, honest voice comes through. It’s a fantastic take on a break-up song – it’s not comfortable or easy or tragic, but rather challenging. It turns heart-ache upside down and inside out to get to its very core: the song is heavy with self-questioning and monotony, but it is relatively free of bigger, existential questions about break-ups. The outro reaches great heights, and the final half line reasserts a note of triumph and control.

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there are 1,271 words on this record but it’s hard to find the right ones to send it into the world with. I’ve been waiting for this day to come for a long time and it feels surreal to say that BREACH is yours now — every side of love and pain reduced down to two. my dad used to call me a tiny warrior and that’s how I feel about this record — I hope it gives you something. it’s given me a lot. there’s no way it would’ve happened without the following people : @slonkslonkslonk @joshuadavidsparks @alichant @brian.deck @hollyshay @rfjaffe @deadoceans @joncoombs @lucydacus @luxtonluxtonluxton @nicoleloucaides and my little orchestra — thank you big time

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Breach starts to wind down here, starting with ’98, a touching audio clip from Lily’s childhood. Situated between ‘I Used To Hate My Body…’ and ‘Someone Elses’ Trees’, it is perfectly placed to reinject a note of nostalgia. Generally, Lily is one of those people who finds their magic in the everyday; toothbrushes, cold baths and laundry all work together to cover much vaster ground.

Many reviews have noted that where Lily was struggling to be alone with herself on her previous album, she has confronted this from every angle. The album comes with a statement from Lily declaring that she no longer needs to “fixate on relationships to make myself feel like I have something to talk about.” A previous press release spoke about Lily was working out the difference between “being alone and being lonely.” 

 On Instagram, she touchingly described Breach as a “tiny warrior”, something her dad used to say about her. Somewhere between “tiny warrior” and “I used to hate my body” – where “used to” is emphatic – and the fragments of ‘Berlin’ and ‘To Be A Woman Pt. 1’, Lily is excavating as many answers as she is raising questions.