The Cosmic Dark

Ultra Violent Rays

Ultra Violent Rays
Ultra Violent Rays

L.A. electro-pop duo Ultra Violent Rays draws comparisons to darkly sensual and moody acts like Portishead.

The band describes their sound as “the hypothetical sonic lovechild of Siouxsie Sioux, Phantogram and the movie Blade Runner.”

Ultra Violent Rays’ current single “Wish” is propelled by hypnotic, electronic drums, a ghostly whistle, shimmering and watery keyboards and vocalist Cooper Gillespie’s ethereal voice — borrowing an irresistible hook from childhood: “Wish I may/ Wish I might/ Find the words to make it right.”

Elsewhere, “The Voyeur” begins with a minimalist groove that recalls, surprisingly, Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” The song soon culminates in a cinematic, sci-fi climax featuring a keyboard hook straight from Depeche Mode.

And the song “Vegas” has the somber, urban feel of Massive Attack — dark and foreboding, like driving late at night through the empty streets of a big city.

“We’re excited to bring our dark, female-fronted electronica back to Eugene,” the band tells EW via email. “The staff and the patrons [at Luckey’s] are always awesome.”

“We write songs that are alive, entities unto themselves,” they explain via press release. “Though we live in the cosmic dark, our live show is a gigantic psychedelic wave of color, light and sound.”

Ultra Violent Rays play 10 pm Saturday, June 27, at Luckey’s; $5. 21-plus.