Will Harrison and Lois Kelly discuss their genre-bending debut, personal growth, and the power of music to unite. Dive in with our latest DORK x DOT TO DOT festival guide cover feature.

Words: Stephen Ackroyd.
Photos: Lilly Doidge, Alex Amoros.

Home Counties have been making music together since their primary school days in rural Buckinghamshire, but their debut album, 'Exactly As It Seems', marks a significant departure from their earlier work. The London-based dance-punk six-piece ("We can just about fit in a van") - made up of Will Harrison (vocals and synthesiser), Lois Kelly (vocals and synthesiser), Conor Kearney (guitar and vocals), Barn Peiser Pepin (guitar, spoken word, and percussion), Bill Griffin (bass and synthesiser), and Dan Hearn (drums and drum machine mastermind) - have undergone a remarkable transformation, embracing a new sound that blends elements of art-rock, dance-pop, and electronic music.

At the time of talking, the band are preparing for the album's release, Will and Lois buzzing with excitement. "It's the day before we release the album, so we're very busy with the last-minute things you forget about when you're doing a release, but we're overall really excited," they enthuse. The anticipation is palpable as they reflect on the journey that led them to this moment. "It's felt like such a long time coming, so it feels good to finally release it and show everyone that we have been really busy."

The arrival of Lois has been instrumental in the band's evolution, not only transforming Home Counties from a five-piece to a six-piece but also propelling them into new musical territories. "In the studio, we tend to be less strictly confined to these roles, with everyone chipping in guitars, synths, percussion and vocals as we go along," they explain. This collaborative approach has allowed the band to explore a wider range of sounds and textures, resulting in an album that pushes the boundaries of their earlier work.

'Exactly As It Seems' represents a quantum leap forward for Home Counties, showcasing their growth as artists and their dedication to pushing the boundaries of their sound. Lois admits, "When the idea of writing an album came about on tour with Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, it felt like a bit of a pipe dream." The band found themselves grappling with the challenges of exploring new sonic territories while balancing their day jobs and tight deadlines. "We had only scratched the surface of exploring the sounds we wanted to bring to Home Counties, and we very much wanted to explore every single possible noise we could make, but we were also working around our 9-5s with a tight deadline. It was exciting and stressful, and there were a few evenings debating whether it was the right time for an album."