Amber Bain is on a roll and her debut LP, Good At Falling, is a near-faultless collection of poignant pop magic. Based on her recent break-up, the album acts as Amber’s diary as she narrates the end of the relationship. Bain deals with the insecurities of growing up, touring and realising it was over and the toxicity around pursuing a relationship that has already ended. Inevitably, the songs are heartbreaking and reach straight for the gut, Bain is brave as she completely opens up and puts her personal life on display, demonstrating a newfound confidence in the process.
Good At Falling is brave in more ways than one however. This is The Japanese House’s most experimental and exploratory piece of work yet – acoustic, piano and string sounds all featuring – the song structuring is complex, yet a glistening sonic flair and conscious effort to craft a catchy chorus means it never becomes overwhelming. The various harmonies and instrumental layers melt into one another to create upbeat melodic pop songs that get in your head and stay there. As far as debut LP’s go, you’ll struggle to find a finer one this year.
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