On December 5, the enigmatic English indie pop act The Japanese House will take the stage at Madison Live. Consisting of just one member, Amber Bain is performing ahead of her debut album, Good at Falling, which will be released on March 1, 2019. She has previously released four EPs as well as two tracks from Good at Falling, “Lilo” and “Follow My Girl,” which dropped just weeks ago on November 12.
The highly anticipated Good at Falling was recorded in several locations including the rural Wisconsin studio of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. It was produced by acclaimed producer BJ Burton, who Bain sought out to work with after considering albums she’s admired and realizing her tried-and-true producer and friend, George Daniel of The 1975, wasn’t going to be readily available to work on the debut.
Bain began her work as The Japanese House in 2015, crafting her signature dreamy electronic work slowly over her four EP releases. Initially, there was a greater anonymity on the voice behind the act, with early critics debating perhaps it was a side project of The 1975. Bain has noted once she began identifying more openly as the brains and voice behind the operation that critics seemed more concerned with her androgynous stylings than the art she was creating. While the inspiration behind the moniker The Japanese House pays homage to Bain’s androgynous beginnings--it’s the vacation home from her childhood where she once lived for a week pretending to be a boy and broke the heart of a neighbor girl who was devastated to learn “Danny” was actually Amber-- Bain doesn’t purport to conform to a deliberate androgyny. Rather, it’s just the sort of sexism women face in the industry. She’s not just a musician, she’s a female musician.
The Japanese House has previously toured supporting acts like The 1975, but this 11 date tour will be her first as a headliner. For fans of Imogen Heap, Wolf Alice, Wet, or Blanche, The Japanese House will not be a show to miss.
When: December 5, 2018, at 8:00 p.m. (doors open at 7:00 p.m.)
Where: Madison Live
Cost: $16 ADV/ $18 DOOR
Win Tickets: HERE
ALL AGES