Isabel Pine’s Fables is her first widely distributed release following a series of self-released EPs and singles, and marks her debut for Kranky. Rooted in ambient, contemporary classical, and experimental traditions, the album grows from a deeply personal shift away from formal classical training towards a more intuitive, environment-led practice. Originally trained on viola from early childhood, Pine stepped away from the constraints of ensemble performance and relocated to British Columbia, where the surrounding wilderness reshaped her relationship with sound. Working from a modest home setup with cello, viola, violin, and double bass, she began integrating field recordings into her compositions, before taking the process further by recording entirely outdoors. Natural reverb, birds, wind, and movement become inseparable from the music itself. Recorded in a remote cabin and its surrounding landscape, Fables unfolds as a series of understated, luminous pieces. These are slow-moving meditations that advance and recede with a tidal patience, blurring the line between composed music and the living environment in which it was captured.