London duo Lavender – lifelong friends Oskar Rice and Adam Jackson – have crafted a remarkably personal and sonically rich debut album in we’re having a barn dance. Known for their early viral single “peppermint”, which leaned into woozy hip-hop grooves and crisp, sample-led production, Lavender here expand their scope considerably. What began in a farmhouse in rural France and concluded in a makeshift studio behind a Lidl in Limehouse, blossoms into a genre-defying exploration of identity, friendship, and the elusive meaning of home. Built like a sonic diary of a transformative year, we’re having a barn dance melds electronic textures with indie-folk sensibilities in a way that feels tactile and emotionally immediate. The opening track “lowlight:slowlight” is a love song born from spontaneity and experimentation. It introduces Lavender’s interest in liminal states, sampling, vocal manipulation, and blurred instrumentation. The introspective build swells gradually to something almost gospel in scale. “(ifnotnowthen)when” follows naturally. It’s a song of two halves. It opens straight in to the chorus, his vocal reminiscent of Ellery Roberts (of Wu-Lyf) and crashing cymbals, then it simmers down into melodic folk sway, before breaking into something else entirely — Dilla-style drums, chopped vocals, and scattered atmosphere. It’s cinematic, recalling the emotional intensity of Bon Iver or the minimal sprawl of Tirzah. “you & me” feels more like an interlude than a full track. At just 1:37, it’s a super chill moment — experimental and loose, a smooth come-down from “(ifnotnowthen)when.” You can hear traces of the duo’s early hip-hop production, but it never fully leans into it. Instead, it blends self-sampled vocals and dreamy textures, maintaining a delicacy and intimacy that’s very much lavender’s own. “you & me” is short and sweet, clocking in at just 1:37. Its glitchy, sampled melodies recall the nostalgic cut-and-paste aesthetic of The Avalanches, yet it maintains a delicacy and intimacy that’s very much lavender’s own. “cowboy pancakes” leans into folky, country-tinged playfulness – a whimsical, twangy interlude that showcases the duo’s range without ever straying too far from the album’s cohesive heart. It segues neatly into “lowlight (reprise)”, a gorgeous acoustic alternate version of the opener. While it borrows lyrics from the original, it never feels like a rehash – instead, it deepens the emotional resonance, acting more like a second movement than a retread. “missing you” stands as one of the record’s emotional peaks. Again drawing comparisons to Avalanches more intimate recordings, it layers samples, melodies, and wistful longing into something that feels organic and immediate – like love caught in a tropical rainstorm. Lavender know how to wield their instruments; every detail feels deliberate yet effortless. As the album moves into its final third, “way over” channels early 2000s chillwave and Khruangbin-style psychedelia, propelled by minimal falsetto vocals and gliding instrumentation that feels equal parts spacious and intimate. And then comes the closer, “harlequin/los días azules.” A standout not just in sound but in sentiment, it’s a triumphant, shimmering reflection on transformation. Gospel and indie-folk influences intermingle beneath layered samples and cathartic instrumentation. It’s an emotional summation of the album’s themes – love (not just romantic), home (both lost and found), and the complicated joy of change. With its soaring strings and evocative lyrics, it feels like both a conclusion and a beginning. lavender’s “we’re having a barn dance” is ambitious yet unpretentious, a debut that wears its heart on its sleeve while showing off serious authentic song writing craft. It’s an album made for quiet revelations, and one of my favourite releases of the year so far.