The Japanese House’s “Boyhood” Looks Back at Adolescence and Emerges with Hope

The Japanese House is the pseudonym of Amber Bain, a British singer-songwriter. It's been relatively quiet these past few years, with her last release being the 2020 Chewing Cotton Wool EP. This week, Bain returns with "Boyhood", a single that addresses the complexities of gender and becoming more than the sum of one's circumstances.  

With the dreamy pop of The Japanese House sounding like a combo of MUNA and The 1975, Bain is a master of lyricism and production. Bain's voice evokes hidden feelings with soft vocals that float above shimmering synths and acoustic guitar. Her self-aware lyrics leave no room for excuses. 

“It doesn't matter what I tell myself. For a moment there I swear I saw me.”

Buoyant and spacious production provides a backdrop for Bain’s soft and harmonious vocals. In the chorus, she reflects on the past and prays for the future, singing, “I wanna change but it's nothing new. And if I grow I'm gonna get so old. Will you hold me like you always do?”

"Boyhood" looks at an alternate reality of what-ifs and regrets. "I used to be somebody else" and "I could have been somebody new" have The Japanese House reflecting and coming to terms with the quest to become more than the sum of one's circumstances. 

Introspective and nostalgic, The Japanese House's new single has a hopeful look toward the future that feels like getting a warm hug and being told everything will be OK.