Bain’s newest addition to their discography, is the first EP since their debut album Good at Falling which was released last year on Dirty Hit. It is also the second piece of work produced by BJ Burton with whom they first worked with on their debut due to the fact usual collaborator, George Daniel of The 1975 was tied up working on the band’s phenomenal 2018 release A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships.
Burton has worked extensively with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver which meant Bain travelled out to the US to work on music at Vernon’s private studio in Wisconsin. This encounter resulted in their latest EP ‘Chewing Cotton Wool’ going full circle in terms of production. It includes Dionne, a track featuring Vernon that exudes a new sense of sureness – which is reflected throughout the rest of this EP. The first single released from Chewing Cotton Wool was Something Has To Change, a potential pop hit with an awfully catchy chorus that you can’t help but sing along to.
The title track then followed, it is in this track that Bain recalls memories of a lost loved one using lyrics like “She’s the sound of your own voice / She’s someone else’s drink”. These lyrics are accompanied by a tinkling of electronic sounds in the background. The final of the four songs, the first on this record is ‘Sharing Beds’ which is comprised of piano and vocals produced using a synthesiser, a familiar sound to fans of both The Japanese House and the 1975 as this track is reminiscent of some of the bands earlier tracks.
Chewing Cotton Wool is an advancement of Bain’s sound but it is an EP that brings the last few years of music together whilst directing listeners toward future possibilities with lyrics designed for the radio. This EP is an indication of Bain’s talent and their ability to produce an incredibly meaningful collection of songs in every release.