childhood. The property had been previously owned by Kate Winslet, with furnishings reminiscent of traditional Japanese tea houses, which inspired Bain's musical moniker. During her week-long stay in the cottage, Bain posed as a boy, calling herself Danny. Her experiences there directly inspired the use of an anonymous label for her music as opposed to the use of her own name. During her early career, Bain avoided photo shoots and publicity which, combined with her androgynous vocals, led many outlets to label her as an anonymous artist. After the release of her debut EP Pools to Bathe In, fans speculated about her gender and identity, with some even claiming that The Japanese House was Matty Healy of the 1975. Despite the shroud of anonymity which surrounded The Japanese House, Bain never hid her personal identity online. In a 2019 interview she noted that her official social media accounts even used her full name, Amber Bain. She eventually became more public, appearing in interviews and photo shoots, stating that the reason for this was that she had become more comfortable with being in the spotlight and "didn't want the mystery to become bigger than the music". Amber Bain is known for her androgynous style and wavy blond hair which has been compared to that of American musician Kurt Cobain. Megan Buerger of Pitchfork described Bain at the beginning of her career as "a soft-spoken, queer 19-year-old girl with Kurt Cobain hair and boyish style". Artistry Influences Bain has been compared to pop acts with strong melodic styles such as the xx, the Beatles, and the Beach Boys. She has been compared to the 1975 with whom she has toured, particularly band members Matty Healy and George Daniel who helped produce many of her tracks. Bain has cited musicians like Brian Wilson, Blondie, Bon Iver, and Franki Valli & the Four Seasons as influences on her work. In a 2019 interview with W Magazine, she described herself as "a modern day, more depressing ABBA". Musical style and themes Pools to Bathe In was a synth-pop album, and her subsequent releases have prominently incorporated synth-pop. Her experimental musical style also contains dream pop, electropop, synth-pop, indie pop, and alt pop. Andy Meek of Billboard described Bain's discography as a combination of experimental electronica and "catchy pop hooks backed by drums and chugging guitars". Her later releases were increasingly influenced by art pop and