Calgary, they say, is a bit like Canada’s Houston: it’s an oil-rich city with matching affinities for rodeos (er, Stampedes), football, and traffic. And just like Space City to the south, that well-defined regionalism makes for an interesting underground reaction in Cowtown. Tegan and Sara may be the city’s most famous export (Ted Cruz not withstanding), but Calgary also gave rise to Viet Cong and Braids, and the Sled Island festival consistently books one of North America’s most ambitious lineups.
Coupled with the relentless prairie winters, then, it makes sense that this is the place Ultrviolence call home. The trio formed a decade ago and have been slowly hammering away at a rich, dark brand of post-punk that recalls the lonesome-highway blues of Daughn Gibson as much as the melting-toned chime of their Viet Cong neighbors.
“Radiation,” which we’re pleased to be premiering this morning, is taken from Black Sea, the group’s latest EP, which is out May 13 via Northern Lights. “”It’s a song that is someone questioning everything around them, and finding the confusion, strangeness, and self-inhibiting forces of the human race,” the band says in a statement. You can give it a listen below, and check out the EP’s cover and track list.
Black Sea EP track list
“Better Learn How to Swim”
“Stray Dogs”
“Untitled”
“Turn the Lights Off”
“Radiation”
Black Sea is out May 13 via Northern Lights.
