Opium Boy – ka lok’s debut album – was released to coincide with the Chinese New Year. The title is a direct reclamation of the racially charged nickname he carried during his high school years in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.
ka lok is the solo electronic project of Canada-based multi-instrumentalist and producer, Dalton Lam. Before the creation of ka lok, Dalton was a versatile collaborator, recording and touring extensively across Canada and Germany.
ka lok writes that this journey of reclamation is mirrored in the non-conforming sound of Opium Boy.
‘hv_redux’ – A strange, almost animalistic sound is an abrupt start to the album. A pitched, distorted vocal sample. It’s a kind of industrial sound too, and the marching beat is a nicely regimented backbone to the soulful vocal. Words are quite hard to pick out under all the FX, but the repetition of “we’re still lost in the dark” is a perfect refrain. With plenty of space in the mix, oodles of melody, and just the right amount of menace, this is a really strong opener to the album.
‘whispers’ – In a beautiful example of unresolved tension, this track hovers on the brink of a big drop which never arrives. The heartbeat pulse of a kick drum and those slightly robotic, autotuned vocals mix with obscure sounds to create a disorienting, smoky mix that just keeps going – never quite reaching the peak. I heard hints of 80’s pop, and at times it feels like long-forgotten eras are straining to break through into the present. A new genre seems to be forming before us – I’m going to call it futuristic soul. And then – the song suddenly ends.
‘whispers:reprise’ – I guess ka lok read my mind, because here is a bit more of ‘whispers’ – this time with a more defined beat and some guitar soloing. It’s a peak of sorts!
‘cairo_space_station’ – The bubbly bassline and the wide atmospherics reminded me of vintage Pink Floyd. No main vocal here, but there are saxophones, trumpets, and all sorts of assorted percussive sounds that, once again, deliver an other-worldly experience and a beautifully evocative film-score quality to these tracks.
‘Opium Boy’ – The cleanest vocal so far (still not very clean!), It’s silky, and it’s velvety. It’s also one of only two tracks with lyrics available. An obvious centerpiece to the album. There is another killer bassline and a clapping rhythm. Pretty pianos and more elegant vocal melodies. It’s amazing how ka lok manages to create so much space, despite the wild onslaught of sounds in each of these tracks.
“It’s so unbearable, every cell on every screen
Filling your head with fire, until you want to scream
Open up your eyes, you’ve become the ones you hate
You’re the same, you’re the same, you’re the same”
‘The fall’ – Cinematic industrial cyberpunk is the only way I can describe this! Wait for the phasing, filtered staccato sound – it’s immense – and the angelic arpeggios add a further dimension. Lyrics are once again largely obscured behind distortion. The final section is my favourite moment so far – things break down, and the sound of nightmares briefly invades the ethereal synths. Incredible.
‘Empty Breaths’ – A fitting title, this feels like a little breather after the intensity so far. The sounds are like liquid, bubbling and flowing through the speakers. Subtle melodies creep up, calming and soothing. Enveloping. It’s like being back in the most comforting place imaginable, perhaps?
“You said you lost yourself when you carried me
I could feel your beating heart”
‘The Edge’ – At first, the vocoded vocal feels like being serenaded by an alien visitor, but when the acoustic guitar and the warm, tactile percussion arrive, things seem perfectly balanced. The final section really does feel like reaching the end of some strange land. Try not to fall as you peer over – into the void.
“Take it slow, we’re at the edge
I don’t wanna lose the time we have to empty breaths
I’ll stop being afraid
I swear I’ll stay”
At times stark and industrial, at other times warm and alive, Opium Boy is like a crazy, electronic prog-rock fever dream. Glitchy, lo-fi sounds mix with lush pads and silky strings in homemade, multi-dimensional spaces. The melodies aren’t brash or heavy-handed, but feel deeper and more resonant because of it. It’s like they have always existed.
Written, produced, and mixed by Dalton Lam in the living room of his home in Regina, Saskatchewan, Opium Boy is a triumphant debut that delivers an epic, cinematic sci-fi odyssey full of heart and soul.
Take a listen to the title track from Opium Boy and follow ka lok on the socials below.
Written by Grubby
