Cloaker - Kelowna Emo That Serves a Higher Authority
The four-song debut EP from Kelowna emo outfit Cloaker is a powerful, fast-paced landslide of distorted guitars and uptempo beats. With lyrics that touch on the pain of becoming an adult, isolation in new environments, and bad breakups, it’s everything a good emo album should be: relatable and cathartic.
When frontman and songwriter Colton Douglas first moved to Kelowna from Williams Lake he didn’t know anyone. Isolated from his family and friends and getting to know a new city, that first year in Kelowna was a struggle. Through this hardship emerged songs like Sleeper and October.
“I just couldn’t leave my house. I was living on my own. I have no family in Kelowna. I just moved here without anything. I didn’t know a single person so I had a very lonely year.”
Eventually Colton would get involved in the Kelowna music scene and join several bands. “I play in four bands now,” says Colton, calling in from Kelowna. “I try to be involved as much as possible. We’ve been helping out-of-town bands who are looking for venues to play in Kelowna, because we know what it’s like. I listen to as much local music as I can and we always go out and support the scene.”
As Colton settled into his new like in Kelowna he started meeting other musicians. Cloaker’s bassist, Damian, plays with Colton in another band called Yard Sale. The drummer, Tyler, was a coworker of Colton’s. And the second guitarist, who is also named Colton, also moved to Kelowna from Williams Lake. The two Coltons have known each other since they were 13, and have played together for years in various different bands.
“It all came together really well,” Colton says of Cloaker. “There have never been any qualms or anything like that.”
It didn’t take long before they were in the studio recording their debut. Following the release of the EP they played shows in Vancouver, Kelowna, and Kamloops, all of which had great turnouts. The show at Pub 340 in Vancouver was almost sold out, and the audience showed Cloaker a lot of love.
It’s only been a few months since that release and they’re already heading back into the studio for the next EP. “We’re starting pre-production on the new EP next Thursday,” says Colton. “We really feel like this EP was just to get our feet wet and let people know that we exist. We’ll be working with Jordan Chase as at OoDeLally Recordings again.”
Regarding future shows,Cloaker will be playing Kelowna on October 18th, and Vancouver on October 19th. In the meantime we can enjoy the four tracks on I Serve… A Higher Authority.