Belgium duo Ultra Sunn are carving out a niche for the EBM movement. The band, based out of Brussels, Belgium is a cross between Depeche Mode and Phantogram. Although they don’t believe in nostalgia, they are creating a realm of music that defies today’s pop music scene. They recently released their sophomore effort, The Beast In You, which is a feast for ravers of all kind.
The pair has their eyes peeled on the United States for a tour next month. In the meantime enjoy their new video for the single “Keep Your Eyes Peeled” below.
Where and how did you two meet?
We met in Brussels, Belgium, which is a rather mysterious place if you pay attention to it. It’s grey, political, and bureaucratic on the surface, but underneath there’s something incredibly exciting.
We found each other in the nightlife. It felt like a refuge. We understood one another immediately, and very quickly we had the desire to create something together: to share our love for electronic music and to do it in our own way.
I listened to “Keep Your Eyes Peeled”—I hear Depeche Mode a lot. Are they a main influence on the band?
That comparison is flattering, of course.
Our bloodstream is Belgian first. Front 242, the new beat scene, and EBM, that’s part of our DNA. Also Nitzer Ebb, DAF, Front Line Assembly, A Split-Second or Nine Inch Nails.
We also grew up with rock, with metal, and even with pop. We love a strong chorus. For us, it’s a way to connect with ourselves and especially with others. We love singing together with our audience and feeling that shared energy rise in the room.
Sam has always sung in his most natural voice. In the beginning, it felt like releasing something that had been held back for a long time, it was incredibly liberating. Perhaps we simply share certain influences with Depeche Mode, who are, by the way, an excellent band. Music is a constellation and sometimes stars resemble each other from a distance.
Tell me more about “Keep Your Eyes Peeled.” What is it about?
It’s the story of someone who changed, who improved, who worked on himself, and who now has this immense desire to share the light he found.
It’s also a warning to those who have stayed attached to that old version of him. It’s his way of stating the truth: this is who I am now, a better version of myself, and I won’t let you question that, even if the old me was more comfortable for you.
It’s quite autobiographical, I would say.
Do you think Phantogram helped to pave the way for this EDM/EBM vibe to come along again?
I’d say they’re two very different genres. We’re really not as familiar with EDM. For EBM, I think the seeds were planted much earlier and very much in Europe. EBM was born in Belgium, the UK, Germany, and it was a reaction to its time; an answer to other genres breathing around it.
A few years ago, those same territories felt something stirring again. Not nostalgia, though. We think nostalgia is a trap as we’re interested in being witnesses of our own era.
There are underground tunnels between decades, of course, but what’s fascinating today is how connected everything is. The scene didn’t just reappear in one city, it resurfaced everywhere in the world, almost simultaneously. We see it when we tour.
For us, the true architects of this revival are the club DJs. They kept the flame alive in dark rooms when no one was looking. We are very aware of that and also very grateful.
What’s next for ULTRA SUNN?
A new single is arriving just before the North American leg of our tour. We’ll be on the road a lot this year, which is where the music truly transforms. We’re excited to meet our audience everywhere we go.
And quietly, in the background, new ideas are already forming for the next album. But, for now, we’re still living inside the current one. Playing it, sharing it, and letting it breathe before we reinvent ourselves again.
