ULTRAVIOLET 放射線 is a talented and up-and-coming young trap music producer from Ontario, Canada. His sound is characterized by moody, frozen synth melodies and clean, intricate trap drum beats. While his SoundCloud is blowing up more and more each day, his YouTube channel remains a hidden gem.
Part of the reason Ultraviolet’s YouTube channel is so wonderful is because his videos are simple yet inspiring, just like his beats. An Ultraviolet music video doesn’t have the quick cuts and special effects that other music videos in the trap genre, like Yung Lean’s “Hurt,” are so known for. Rather, Ultraviolet’s music videos are meditative, and feature shots of wildlife and the beautiful Canadian landscape during wintertime. Take the video of the song “F R E E R U N,” in which the focus of the video is a goldenrod knot on a white tree in a snowy landscape. The snowy scenery matches the iciness of the beat perfectly, and the result is a video that’s quite entrancing and calming.
Another stunning music video on Ultraviolet’s channel is “memories of her.” This is an earlier Ultraviolet beat which harkens back to his days as “Yung Mosquito.” The beat cannot be found on Ultraviolet’s SoundCloud anymore, which makes the song especially rare. The music video beautifully fits the vibe of the song. It doesn’t have nature scenery, but rather features anime shots. The non-reverbed high hats and snare, which have a sound I would describe as “cute,” interact with cute anime faces in a profoundly moving way.
Ultraviolet’s videos strike a similar kind of inspiration in the up-andcoming music scene as his beats do. The genius of Ultraviolet is in his simplicity. Just like the beats are recorded from free sample packs imported into a DAW, the music videos are free in the sense that all the scenery that is used is right in the world, free of charge. In this sense, Ultraviolet touches on what it means to be an artist in the 21st century—there is so much inspiration all around, all free for the taking.
With all respect to Ultraviolet’s work, I see his channel as an example of how brilliantly easy it is to be an artist today. With just a few tools for capturing sound and video, and a keenness on simplicity and creativity, anyone can effect change in this world. It’s as easy as pressing record and being yourself.
