I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for Hong Kong based Lucid Express. Coming from that eternal city, out of that constant rush, Lucid Express have built a sound that feels suspended in its own pocket of time. Formed in 2014 during a period of political unrest and personal uncertainty, the band turned to each other and to music as something steady. Those early rehearsals between midnight and four in the morning shaped their identity. You can still hear that in their songs. That twilight glow.
After emerging locally as Thud with the Floret EP and reintroducing themselves to the wider world with their 2021 self-titled debut, Lucid Express became one of the most compelling voices in modern shoegaze. Touring internationally and landing on bills alongside scene heavyweights, they proved that their airy blend of dream pop and guitar haze could stretch far beyond the skyscrapers of home. Now comes Instant Comfort, their second full length and their most layered statement to date.
Let’s dive in and see what they have in store for us.
‘Promise Me’ opens the album with their trademark glow. Guitars shimmer in patient cycles while the rhythm section holds everything in a gentle lockstep. The vocals arrive up front, leading the way. The melody sounds like a lost folk song set against that contrast between the soft chiming guitars and the pounding fuzz tones.
Picking the pace up next is ‘Take Heart’ The guitars thicken and the drums push forward with more intent. I love that hi hat sound. Lucid Express have always known how to build walls of sound, yet here the clarity stands out. Each layer has room to breathe. The bass is warm and rounded, vocals light and airy and when that chorus comes in it all comes together.
‘Something Blue’, the lead single, captures the quiet ache of uncertain relationships. The jangling guitars ripple outward while the vocal melody carries a real fragility. It balances brightness with introspection in a way that feels natural to them. Watching the video featuring footage submitted from fans and friends from across the globe, only deepens that connection. This is a band who understand that community sits at the heart of their story.
The textures roughen up around the edges on ‘Setback’ next. This is my kinda gaze. Squalling guitars rub up against sugary sweet vocals. I love how dynamic this tracks in with that feedback drench guitar dipping in and out. When it erupts for the solo, I was in heaven! This is defo my album stand out track.
‘Stars in the Car’ feels intimate and cinematic at once. The melody circles gently while the guitars stretch into long arcs of tone. It captures that late night drive energy where the world outside the window feels distant and small. Lucid Express excel in these moments. You can feel the neon glow on this one.
Things get heavy again on ‘Aster’. The band introduce a slightly brighter tone in contrast to the fuzzed-out wall of sound. The interplay between guitars feels more playful, yet still grounded in their signature haze. The band sound comfortable in their own language, expanding it without abandoning what made them distinctive in the first place.
‘Faux Sweetness’ leans into those MBV textures we all love. The chorus is all beautiful noise and hazy melodies. The verses open the windows and let in the light providing a really effective contrast. This is the kinda track that Lucid Express really shine on.
‘Dark Glass’ shifts the mood again towards the epic. The drums take a more pronounced role and the feedback thickens around the edges. It feels like standing at the edge of a city rooftop at night, looking out over lights that stretch endlessly. There is a sense of scale here that shows how far the band have travelled sonically since their debut.
The title track ‘Instant Comfort’ closes the album with quiet assurance. The melody unfolds patiently, the guitars glow and crash, and the band sound unified. The guitar providing the melody in the breaks has a real twang about it that gives this track a unique tone. It’s the wall of static soaked wonderfulness though that won my heart.
Across these nine tracks, Lucid Express sound assured in who they are and clear in where they are heading. The record captures that balance between intimacy and scale that they have been refining since those early midnight rehearsals, pairing melody with texture in a way that feels purposeful rather than ornamental. You can hear the miles they have travelled, the stages they have stepped onto, and the bonds that have kept them steady through it all. Instant Comfort feels like a band settling fully into their own skin while still reaching outward, offering you warmth, weight and clarity in equal measure. In a restless world, Lucid Express have delivered exactly what the title promises, a rare moment of Instant Comfort.
Instant Comfort is out on 20 February 2026 via Kanine Records. You can check it out over on the Lucid Express Bandcamp page.
You can follow Lucid Express on social media here…
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