The Japanese House - Good Side In

When musicians talk about their ‘process’ it can sometimes result in a bit of a snoorefest, to be honest. But you could probably hear Amber Bain talk about it for hours. Every one of her The Japanese House songs sounds like the result of constant tinkering, flashes of inspiration and post-production shifts. Explaining how it all works would be like sharing a top-secret recipe, but ‘Good side in’ gives indication of how it all comes together.

The track shifts with ease from frosty, plucked acoustics to Bain’s multi-layered vocal trademark, then to chopped-and-screwed empty space. Every element is handpicked from a different world, threaded together like it’s no big deal. The same applies to the rest of her ‘Swim Against the Tide’ EP - a huge step-up in every sense - but never has the ‘process’ been so front-and-centre.