Words: Jude Lowry
I’m not exaggerating here, Ultraviolet have just arrived and they are literally one of the best upcoming bands to grace Belfast/Bangor’s already tumultuous scene.
The rivetingly forceful quintet emerged in November 2023 and got straight to work, collaborating with Aaron Milligan of Brand New Friend to release their creative floodgates and make music that would make people feel. Ultraviolet achieved this with their first track titled ‘Think,’ an entangled self-inquiry into emotional attachment. After ‘Think’ naturally became an anthem among Belfast’s new breed of music lovers, I talked to Ultraviolet about what was next.
About twenty minutes before erupting on the Oh Yeah Music Centre stage with burning and impassioned new material, Serena reminisces about the band’s foundational year. The soul-stirring vocalist says that ‘Doing this was a long time coming but it was super fun’ however ‘in the next year we want to take leaps and bounds as a band, sonically’ quietly cool guitarist Jake adds. All I can say is that Ultraviolet have already taken leaps to get better.
‘Not The One’ solemnly embraces heartbreak. There’s a toughness and maturity evident in the lyrics, as the speaker decides that their relationship is cracked in a painfully positive way. Although pressing on is the right thing to do, there is pain in Serena’s words. Lyrics such as ‘Don’t want to walk your street, in the hopes we meet’ and ‘Thanks for what you’ve done because you’ve shown me, you’re not the one’ really establish the emotional conundrum that binds the bitter with the sweet throughout the track. Serena’s vocals (along with Spike’s backing on the live version) are assertive but fragile, given the circumstances, and I could see them bringing a tear to any listener’s eye.
Musically, the track is a powerhouse. Anticipating the gig ahead, Spike said ‘don’t blame us if it’s not perfect.’ He had nothing to worry about. With Calum on bass and Ryan on drums, we’re provided with a smooth underline that helps us gather our thoughts. Serena, Jake and Spike come in on guitars, thrashing us with emotion and forcing us to let go. It’s a confusing experience that makes us yearn for more while also accepting what has happened. Hearing ‘Not The One’ live gave me that gig feeling that we’re all chasing. Ultraviolet’s chemistry is telepathic.
As the band make their move to the stage, Calum thanks the Belfast/Bangor music scene that they have become such an exciting part of. He says that ‘Everyone is trying to get better. There’s a fun competitiveness to it and it really helps.’ From what I can see and hear, Ultraviolet have certified themselves as very strong artists on that scene with all the potential they need. Ryan expressed that seeing Inhaler was a ‘canon moment’ that helped create the band but I tried to determine who they reminded me of musically. I couldn’t. They’re the first Ultraviolet.
Stream ‘Not the One’ by Ultraviolet on Spotify.
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