CoSign is an honor we use to put our stamp of approval on up-and-coming artists or groups that are about to shine. In June 2023, we focus on Amber Bain’s project The Japanese House and her latest LP, This is always the case in the end.
At the end of the writing and recording process, Amber Bain began working on “Boyhood,” the first single from The Japanese House’s second studio album, always ends up.But the song was inspired by something rather unorthodox: While working in the studio with producer Chloe Kraemer, the pair stumbled upon a video In the 2000s, a group of gay cowboys danced in the front row of the White House.
“Same-sex marriage wasn’t legal back then, and there must have been 20 very sexy gay guys in cowboy hats, cowboy boots, and little vests doing this amazing dance,” Bain described to us. result Via video call. “It was hilarious and heartbreaking; there was something really powerful in the video. I showed it to my dad and he literally shed a tear… and then he just said, ‘This is courage.'”
This resonated with Bain & Company, who tried to make always ends up with a similar spirit. Throughout the album, she cycles through themes of transformation, heartbreak, and queer identity; the music ranges from funk-inspired pop to more naturalistic ballads and country-inspired arrangements, all with Bain’s warm , Versatile singing is featured. She recruited label partners and former collaborators The 1975’s Matty Healy and George Daniel, MUNA’s Katie Gavin and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, who helped push Bain’s indie-pop style into broad territory without losing her intimacy and individuality.
The album’s title and asymmetrical cover art are meant to suggest a cyclical pattern—whether in the presentation of relationships, personal identities, or the music itself. Bain designed the album to be played on a continuous loop: the final track, “One for Sorrow, Two for Joni Jones,” climaxes with a beat of synths and drum sticks, all back to album opener “Spot.” bubbling synthesizer. dog. “
“I think that’s a sign of progress,” she says, “Before, everything was a straight line. If you look at all the artwork I choose, the press pictures I like, all the EP and album covers…everything was a straight line, Vertical lines. So it’s kind of interesting to go from that to an asymmetrical circle.” She admits that while she’s usually drawn to “minimal images that are manageable,” the cover art also reflects the album’s thematic approach around gender and identity.
Get your tickets for Japan House here
“We do a lot of research on the symbols and symbols of being gay…like gay people often wear a handkerchief outside their jeans pocket and the color will indicate if they are a top or a bottom. I think I relate more to gay men because of gender Associated with the gay image a lot of the time I’m kind of jealous. So we try to subvert the gay image and reacquaint ourselves with being a lesbian or genderqueer or whatever you want to call me and I still haven’t figured out the whole vibe ,” Bain said.This isn’t the first time she’s used the word “casual” to define her gender — but always ends upshe leans heavily towards those gray areas.