''A posthumous release brings the quiet brilliance of a songwriter into focus, reflecting on dislocation, memory, and the enduring spirit of 1980s pop'' (The Bandcamp Diaries)
On September 29th, 2025, exactly one year after her passing, a 13-track album titled 'Walking In Space' is released as a tribute to singer-songwriter Kay Russell. The album collects both demos and finished tracks recorded primarily in the 1980s. Eleven of the thirteen songs feature Russell’s music & lyrics, though she sings on all the tracks. Some of the songs will be familiar to fans of Fassbender-Russell, though 9 of these tracks are making their debut release.
Kay first came into the public eye in the early 1980s as one half of Fassbender-Russell, alongside her musical partner Susan Fassbender. Their 1981 single 'Twilight Café' reached number 21 on the UK Singles Chart and earned them two appearances on Top of the Pops.
After the Fassbender-Russell era, Kay Russell continued to write and record, occasionally releasing music and collaborating with other artists, including her partner Phil Brown. In later years, she formed a songwriting partnership with musician Ewan McKenzie, resulting in two albums under the name The McKenzie FIX. Despite never returning to the charts, Russell remained creatively active for decades, writing with consistency and clarity even as her profile faded from the mainstream.
This posthumous release is both a celebration of her legacy and a reminder of how much artistry can exist outside the spotlight.
The album’s title track 'Walking In Space', also released as a single, is a slow-burning reflection on emotional drift and the struggle to find grounding in an ever-shifting world. There is beauty, but it is haunted. There is defiance, but it is quiet. There is longing, but it is shaped by lived experience. It does not reach for answers, nor does it pretend to have any. Instead, it accepts dislocation as part of life. In that way, Walking In Space resonates just as much now as it would have in the time it was written.
Kay Russell passed away on September 29th, 2024, at the age of 72, following a brief illness. Her career may not have followed a traditional arc of fame and longevity, but her creative voice remained strong throughout. This collection is not just a tribute, but a reminder of how much can live in the quiet corners of the music world, waiting to be heard. Kay Russell may have walked in space, as her lyrics suggest, but this album brings her legacy firmly down to earth.
'Walking In Space' - the album and single, are released on Platform Records, 29/9/25.
Check out the official 2025 video for the single, below!
www.platformrecords.co.uk platformrecords@hotmail.co.uk
For further information on the career of Kay Russell, visit these links: https://kayrussellmusician.wordpress.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Fassbender https://open.spotify.com/artist/636R83dpiuHJlDcJwksIMP
