After years in the making here at last is Illumination, the fully realised debut album from Melbourne's favourite psychedelic indie-electronic adventurers Miami Horror. With Illumination, Miami Horror has delivered on two years of teeth-cutting live shows and an ever escalating wave of buzz that’s made the group bonafide blog darlings the world over. But what’s most amazing about the grand arrival of Illumination is that the roots of the record stretch back countless moons to when Miami Horror began as just one synthesizer-obsessed producer in 2007 huddled over a laptop in a bedroom-come-studio and the album itself just a spark waiting to be lit.
The afore mentioned synth tragic was, and let’s face it still is, electronic young gun Ben Plant, who kick started Miami Horror out of a love of Roland keyboards and French house, landing himself on Pitchfork’s hot-list overnight and copping a barrage of high profile remix requests from the likes of Datarock, PNAU and The Presets.
Yet it was while Ben was punching out 2008’s epochal Bravado EP that Miami Horror took off in a completely new and different direction. Characteristically wanting to flex his creative muscle and avoid the limitations of being stereotyped as simply a dance or electro act, Ben rewired Miami Horror’s genetic makeup, deputising the talents of Josh Moriarty, Aaron Shanahan and Daniel Whitechurch to form a new live band persona of Miami Horror, a whole new beast immeasurably more exciting than before.
“It started out that I didn’t want to have any guitar on the album besides a little funk guitar or disco bass,” Ben grins while explaining the turning point for Miami Horror’s evolution. “But then Josh came in and started playing all these other parts that sounded amazing. Paired with what I was working on, nobody was doing anything like it, so I knew we had to turn those sounds into a live thing and just go wild.”
It worked. Since the switch, Miami Horror has launched into dizzying new stratospheres, their well-polished chops as a group making for some unmissable sets at Australia’s biggest festivals, and that’s not to mention some A-list support slot call ups for everyone from Phoenix, Friendly Fires and La Roux to a hand-picked hook up from Lily Allen.
www.miamihorror.com
Ultraviolet
Miami Horror Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That guided to the past
If what they say is true
These wounds are made to last
You're wreaking havoc under the ultraviolet light
And all the voices undone is vanish in the night
The sun goes down your eyes look out
The sun comes up your eyes come out
You idealise this feeling
The sun goes down your eyes look out
If you're disguised conceal it
The sun comes up your eyes come out
You idealise this feeling
You let him strangle you
That guided to the past
If what they say is true
These wounds are made to last
You're wreaking havoc under the ultraviolet light
And all the voices undone is vanish in the night
As you (decide this gleaming???)
I'm asking "hear the meaning"
It's such an empty feeling
It's such an empty feeling
As you decide this gleaming
I'm asking "hear the meaning"
It's such an empty feeling
It's such an empty feeling
The sun goes down your eyes look out
If you're disguised conceal it
The sun comes up your eyes come out
You idealise this feeling
The sun goes down your eyes look out
If you're disguised conceal it
The sun comes up your eyes come out
You idealise this feeling
As you decide this gleaming
I'm asking "hear the meaning"
It's such an empty feeling
It's such an empty feeling
As you decide this gleaming
I'm asking "hear the meaning"
It's such an empty feeling
It's such an empty feeling
The lyrics of Miami Horror's song "Ultraviolet" can be interpreted as a warning against the dangers of living in the past and being stuck in a cycle of abuse. The opening lines "You let him strangle you / That guided to the past" acknowledges how people can become trapped in toxic relationships that prevent them from moving forward. The line "If what they say is true / These wounds are made to last" suggests that the abuse has led to lasting emotional scars.
The chorus "You're wreaking havoc under the ultraviolet light / And all the voices undone is vanish in the night" could be a reference to the destructive consequences of staying in an abusive relationship. The ultraviolet light could symbolize an unhealthy environment that amplifies negative emotions and actions. The repetition of "The sun goes down your eyes look out / If you're disguised conceal it / The sun comes up your eyes come out / You idealise this feeling" emphasizes the internal struggle of wanting to escape the abuse but being afraid to leave.
The bridge "As you decide this gleaming / I'm asking 'hear the meaning' / It's such an empty feeling" could be interpreted as a plea for the listener to reflect on their situation and find the strength to leave the toxic environment. The repetition of "It's such an empty feeling" highlights how staying in an abusive relationship can lead to emotional emptiness and a lack of fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
You let him strangle you
You allowed someone to harm you
That guided to the past
That led you to remember painful memories
If what they say is true
If the rumors are accurate
These wounds are made to last
These injuries are not easy to recover from
You're wreaking havoc under the ultraviolet light
You're causing chaos in a bright and vibrant environment
And all the voices undone is vanish in the night
All the sounds stop and fade away during the nightfall
The sun goes down your eyes look out
When the sun sets, you become more aware of your surroundings
If you're disguised conceal it
If you're hiding your true self, keep it hidden
The sun comes up your eyes come out
When the sun rises, you become more open and expressive
You idealise this feeling
You romanticize this emotion
As you decide this gleaming
As you make this hopeful decision
I'm asking 'hear the meaning'
I'm asking you to truly understand the significance
It's such an empty feeling
It's a feeling of hollowness and unfulfillment
Contributed by Scarlett L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.