The Japanese House, Touching Yourself | LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶

In the 26^th edition of LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶 (2023), we highlight the song, “Touching Yourself” performed by The Japanese House. 

Be prepared to #SLAY! LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶 embraces, highlights, and celebrates singles and tracks by LGBTQIA musicians or allies.  In this column, we provide background and insight into the respective musician(s), as well as analyze + go gaga over the decadent bops being served up.  Furthermore, when the music dictates deeper, more transcendent discussion, we ensure the point is articulated to the fullest.  All styles of music are welcome while the BOPZ can be classics or brand-spanking new. So, without further ado, in the 26^th edition of LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶 (2023), we highlight 🎵 “Touching Yourself” performed by 🎙 The Japanese House.

“Now, I’m picturing you and you’re touching yourself…” Sooo, is that what we’re doing here, 🎙 Amber Bain better known as 🎙 The Japanese House? To provide a bit more context on 🎵 “Touching Yourself”, the second track from The Japanese House’s 2023 album, 💿 In the End It Always Does, Bain sings: “I had to go into the other room / She sent me something and I can’t think about anything else.” Obviously, Bain’s girlfriend, who is not physically with her, texted – rather sexted – something colorful 😈 to her.  As a result, a fluster Bain goes elsewhere, more private, and thinks about her girlfriend pleasuring herself. WOO!  Clearly, Bain loves her, adding, “I wanna touch you but you’re too far away / And when you call me, I’m all over the place now.” Honestly, Bain is being authentic, honest, and ultra-relatable.  In this case, it’s a lesbian relationship, but, this could be any relationship experiencing these same situations.

What is interesting about this fierce indie-pop joint (the vocals, and relatively light but rhythm and potent production shine) is how it shifts from longing for intimacy to stepping back from it.  Say what?!  “I had to go into the other room / She told me something and I had to go and sit by myself / Said she’d call me from a better place.” Hmm, that’s an about face! Per Apple Music, Bain says of the song:

Obviously, at the beginning I was far away from this person a lot – I was touring. And then suddenly, I was close to them all the time because it was lockdown yet felt so far away from them.

Again, even though The Japanese House is a musician and the distance and space away is because of her craft, “Touching Yourself” can be applied to a long distance relationship.  Furthermore, after the distance issue is eradicated, there’s a whole-new issue.  This describes love and the ups and downs of relationship.  It’s cool that in this case, this poppy, tuneful, alternative record comes from the lens of a lesbian relationship, but, to reiterate, 🎵 “Touching Yourself” could come from various relationships – specificity is not important. Still, it’s an honor to add this joint to the ever growing collection of music by LGBTQ+ 🏳️‍🌈 musicians/allies.

🎙 The Japanese House • 💿 In the End It Always Does • 🏷 Dirty Hit • 🗓 2023

The Japanese House, Touching Yourself: LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶 No. 26 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner/ The Musical Hype; Dirty Hit; Anna Shvets, Monstera, Polina Tankilevitch, RODNAE Productions, Spencer Cooper, Uriel Mont via Pexels; Jim, Kurious via Pixabay; Hugo Herrera on Unsplash]