When Nandi Rose Plunkett (Half Waif) wrote and recorded Lavender, her grandmother was alive, and though she didn't show signs of illness in September, it was obvious that her life – after 95 years – was drawing to a close. As a result, themes of aging and collapse intricately weave their way through this album. Lavender is a love letter to time, the journeys we choose to take, and the slow but beautiful slog towards the inevitable end. As Nandi describes it, "[this record] is an examination of the way we fracture, inside ourselves and inside our relationships – the fissures that creep along the structures we build, the tendency towards disintegration." Spotted with bold lyricism and unexpected hooks, this Half Waif release is fierce and beautiful.