Lucid Express

Kim Ho has escaped the clogged streets, blinding lights and noise of central Hong Kong to the region’s northern mountains. Heartbreak and disillusionment are on her heels. In these mountains, in sight of both the Chinese border and the international hub of downtown Hong Kong, Ho seeks to make sense of who she, and her bandmates, are. The pride they’d felt as teenagers has long faded. Their multicultural progressive city has become politically oppressive since 2014, when anti-state protests were countered with beatings, politically-targeted arrests, and death threats from government officials. Says Ho, “we’ve been steadily losing hope for a decade now”. Their response has been to create their own universe revolving around their studio practice space nestled in an unassuming industrial district on the edge of the city. 'Instant Comfort' is the sound of a young band who've traveled the world, seen what it has to offer, held it for a moment, before watching it slip through their fingers. While the group’s first recordings arrived buoyant on a wave of hopeful romanticism, this latest outing is more complex; mapping their journey from uncertainty to a renewed sense of self-reliance.