The Japanese House Creates A Lush Indie Pop Wonderland With Sophomore Album

Written by Mary Perez

Graphic by Rebekah Witt

Photo by Jay Seba

As the opening notes of The Japanese House’s latest record float their way into your ears, listeners are greeted by the seemingly childlike plucking of piano keys, building into the introductory lines to the new album, “I don’t want to go yet.” However, “Spot Dog” is far from the end, as we enter into the rollercoaster whirlwind of relationship highs and lows, both from interpersonal and intrapersonal connections, explored through the 12-track album. 

Amber Bain, better known as The Japanese House, released her sophomore record, In the End It Always Does, on June 30, ahead of her fall US tour. The English multi–hyphenate debuted in the indie pop scene in 2015 after signing with Dirty Hit, and she has often been known to collaborate with Dirty Hit labelmates and shareholders The 1975. The Japanese House’s debut record Good at Falling was released in 2019, following the successes of singles “Lilo” and “Follow My Girl.” 

Bain is no stranger to insecurity and fear, tackling her very real and often painful feelings with every song penned. “Touching Yourself” is one such example, as she reflects upon her inability to act upon sexual desire while admitting that she also craves attention and affection. It is debilitating and frustrating, and she repeatedly recounts that each amorous exchange always has a profound effect, even when she cannot physically be with them. However, the yearning is juxtaposed by a deep sadness, as second single “Sad to Breathe” tackles the loss of a lover after attempts to change oneself are ineffective. There is only so much that can be done before recognizing that some relationships are better left for dead, but that acceptance does not stop the breakup from hurting.

“Over There” tells the tale of a former lover and how distant fond memories seem once the relationship has ended. In an interview with Apple Music, Bain stated "My favorite line in it is, ‘She keeps her coat on/There’s not a lot to go on/She used to dote on me.’ It’s that feeling that you used to be so close to someone and now they don’t even take their coat off when they come round because they know they’re about to leave.” Rather than feeling at home with each other and being comfortable unwinding, the narrator feels so detached from their past lover, watching as they radiate a coldness in the encounter and wondering if they enjoy where they are now.

A highly-anticipated collaboration between Bain and Katie Gavin of MUNA came in the form of “Morning Pages,” a song chronicling a relationship where the narrator just can’t help but keep returning to the same person. Even if their relationship seems to be reaching its end, the song seems to mirror lines from “Something Has to Change” in the sense that it’s a cycle of feeling captivated by the same girl who will hurt them. 

Lead single “Boyhood” first launched the new era of Bain’s latest release, a track that centers around her struggles with the complexity of gender identification, sexuality, and self-discovery. The chorus reflects Bain’s fears of not being the person that everyone expects or wants her to be but learning to acknowledge and embrace some of the challenges she experienced growing up. 

“Indexical reminder of a morning well spent” notes the simplicity and comfort of the small parts of a day spent together, whereas “Friends” is Bain’s tale about a threesome, written alongside George Daniel. The latter explodes into synth-led rhythms as Bain teases the trio’s night of fun with cheeky lines about touching one another. The ninth track, “Sunshine Baby,” was one of the final singles released ahead of the album, detailing the realization that a relationship has become rather monotonous and is reaching its final days. She painstakingly sings that she misses the tranquility of being in love and knowing that you’re meant to be together, but this relationship no longer brings that sense of joy and contentment. It’s The Japanese House at its best—melancholic lyricism contrasted by upbeat instrumentals that are just begging to be played on a long drive home.

“Baby goes again” links back to “Morning Pages” and its emphasis on a dependency on another person, which is not reciprocated by that individual. Opening with the lines “She’s all that I live on ‘cause/I’ve run out of it,” Bain laments the relationship’s one-sided nature, illustrated by her hopes that each return will end differently, only to find that it ends with the same heartache and mistakes. The melody is reminscent of the guitar-driven discographies of Samia or boygenius, weaving chords and piano runs between gentle vocals. Immediately followed by “You always get what you want,” the album smoothly transitions to a seemingly bittersweet reflection on an ex’s new relationship, knowing that they’ll end up getting what they crave. The final track is a nod to Joni Mitchell’s lyricism, as Bain finds peace after the painful breakup. Even when the end of a relationship can feel devastating, she eventually recovers and finds that things will end up alright. 

After a beautifully rousing debut record, I was excited to see how Bain would top her prior releases, and In the End It Always Does was everything I dreamt it would be. It aches in the right places while still maintaining that “shameless-dancing-in-your-bedroom” melodic perfection that Bain has kept throughout her discography. Dreamy and introspective, The Japanese House has devised yet another wonderful album that builds upon earnest lyricism, genre-bending instrumentals, and a myriad of stories of love and loss. They will be touring the US this fall, accompanied by quinnie.