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User:Pordypates/sandbox/Chewing Cotton Wool

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Chewing Cotton Wool
EP by
The Japanese House
Released12 August 2020 (2020-08-12)
Length13:13
LabelDirty Hit
The Japanese House chronology
Good at Falling
(2019) 		Chewing Cotton Wool
(2020)

Chewing Cotton Wool is the seventh extended play by English indie pop act the Japanese House, released on 12 August 2020 through Dirty Hit. It was preceded by her debut album Good at Falling, released 1 March 2019. Upon release, it received mostly positive reviews from critics, with some criticism for a lack of deviation from Bain's established style.

Background[edit]

The EP's lead single, "Saw You in a Dream", was inspired by an experience Bain had dreaming of someone she had known who had recently died.[1] The title track "Saw You In a Dream" was released as a single on 26 April 2017.[2]

Musical style[edit]

The EP has been described as dream pop,[3] electropop,[4] yacht rock[5] and indie pop.[6] The EP includes a combination of 80s-esque synth beats, acoustic guitars, layered vocals, and melancholic lyrics.[7]

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
NME[8]
Spinnaker[9]
The Forty Five[10]

Saw You in a Dream received mostly positive reviews for its composition, symphonic arrangements, and Bain's development of a distinctive style compared to the varied and experimental style of her previous releases.[11][12] Nicole Almeida of Atwood Magazine positively reviewed the EP, commenting that Bain "talks about love, friendship, loss, and life through mesmerizing and descriptive lyrics which, when coupled with her hypnotizing melodies, result in honest and heartwarming songs."[13]

The single "Saw You in a Dream" was especially well-received for its heartfelt lyrics and contrastingly upbeat melodies.[14] "Count to Nine" was also praised for its dreamy quality, and complex progression.[15]

Joshua Palmer gave a mixed review for Spectrum Culture, on the one hand praising its composition and combination of 80's synthpop with more laidback, minimalistic harmonies, while also criticising both Bain's reluctance to release a full length album and a lack of development between Saw You in a Dream and Bain's previous releases. He concluded that "since Pools to Bathe In, it feels as though the musical and emotional stakes have been falling lower and lower. Hopefully a fully realized album is just around the corner."[16]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleLength
1."Sharing Beds"1:49
2."Something Has to Change"3:11
3."Dionne" (featuring Justin Vernon)4:44
4."Chewing Cotton Wool"3:29
Total length:13:13

References[edit]

  1. ^ Dunn, Frankie (2017-05-16). "watch the awesome new video for the japanese house's saw you in a dream". i-D. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  2. ^ Subscribe. "The Japanese House shares 'Saw You In A Dream'". diymag.com. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  3. ^ "The Japanese House on new single 'Saw You In A Dream' - NME". NME Music News, Reviews, Videos, Galleries, Tickets and Blogs | NME.COM. 2017-04-26. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  4. ^ Moodey, Tom (2017-10-31). "EP REVIEW: 'Saw You In A Dream' - The Japanese House • LOCK". LOCK. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  5. ^ "The Japanese House announces new EP Saw You In A Dream". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  6. ^ "Saw You In A Dream by The Japanese House EP Review". 2017-07-07. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  7. ^ Moodey, Tom (2017-10-31). "EP REVIEW: 'Saw You In A Dream' - The Japanese House • LOCK". LOCK. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  8. ^ "The Japanese House – 'Chewing Cotton Wool' EP: Bon Iver appears on lush and radio-ready collection". NME. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  9. ^ Marques, Carissa. "Album review: "Chewing Cotton Wool" by The Japanese House". Spinnaker. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  10. ^ Geraghty, Hollie. "The Japanese House – 'Chewing Cotton Wool' EP review: a mark of emotional growth from Amber Bain". The Forty Five. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  11. ^ "The Japanese House - Saw You In A Dream EP". Dork. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  12. ^ "The Japanese House Shines on 'Saw You In a Dream' EP". Baeble Music. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  13. ^ "Longing, Loss, & Hope in The Japanese House's "Saw You in a Dream"". Atwood Magazine. 2017-05-08. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  14. ^ "The Japanese House on new single 'Saw You In A Dream' - NME". NME Music News, Reviews, Videos, Galleries, Tickets and Blogs | NME.COM. 2017-04-26. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  15. ^ "REVIEW: The Japanese House - 'Saw You In A Dream' EP (Dirty Hit)". The Student Playlist. 2017-07-02. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  16. ^ "The Japanese House: Saw You in a Dream". Spectrum Culture. 2017-07-25. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
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