Ultraviolet (EP)

In early 2014, Young revealed the album artwork for his single, "Beautiful Times", through his Instagram account.{{cite web|url=http://instagram.com/p/mQjkvbgWRv/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/owlcityofficial/689207199444067439 |archive-date=December 25, 2021 |url-access=registration|title=Piece five of the April single album artwork on Instagram |publisher=Instagram |access-date=April 3, 2014}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=http://instagram.com/p/mQJU3IgWQE/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/owlcityofficial/689091758994318340 |archive-date=December 25, 2021 |url-access=registration|title=Piece four of the April single album artwork on Instagram |publisher=Instagram |access-date=April 3, 2014}}{{cbignore}} The song, which was released on April 8, would act as the lead single for Ultraviolet and features music by violinist Lindsey Stirling. Following the release of "Beautiful Times", Young stated his intent to release a steady "series of EPs" in 2014 rather than one larger recording.{{cite news|title=Owl City Announces New EPs For 2014|url=http://www.freqazoid.com/electronic/2014/4/8/owl-city-announces-new-eps-for-2014|access-date=July 17, 2015|work=FreQazoid|date=April 8, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421051422/http://www.freqazoid.com/electronic/2014/4/8/owl-city-announces-new-eps-for-2014|archivedate=April 21, 2014}} On June 5, it was announced that the EP would be released on June 27.{{cite web|url=https://www.altpress.com/owl_city_announces_ultraviolet_ep/|title=Owl City announces 'Ultraviolet' EP|magazine=Alternative Press|date=June 6, 2014|access-date=June 24, 2014}} The album art and track listing, as well as a clip of one of the songs, were released on June 10 as part of a social media marketing campaign to promote the release of the EP.{{cite web |url=http://www.ayoungblog.com/post/87623045979/guys-my-next-release-will-be-available-on-6-27 |title=Adam Young gives fans preview of Owl City's June EP |publisher=Tumblr |access-date=June 2, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606235838/http://www.ayoungblog.com/post/87623045979/guys-my-next-release-will-be-available-on-6-27 |archive-date=June 6, 2014 |df=mdy-all }}

On June 17, the EP was released for pre-order on iTunes. On June 18, Owl City premiered a new track, "Wolf Bite" days before the release of the EP.{{cite magazine|url=https://hmmagazine.com/owl-city-releases-new-track-wolf-bite-new-album-ultraviolet/|title=Owl City releases new track Wolf Bite from new album, Ultraviolet|magazine=HM|author=Sarah Dos Santos|date=June 23, 2014|access-date=February 19, 2023}} On June 25, a preview for the "Beautiful Times" music video was released.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffdsbIOmpGQ|title=Owl City - Beautiful Times (feat. Lindsey Stirling) [Official Teaser]|website=YouTube|access-date=August 21, 2023}} The music video premiered the following day via Rolling Stone.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/watch-owl-citys-whimsical-beautiful-times-video-premiere-70611/|title=Watch Owl City's Whimsical 'Beautiful Times' Video - Premiere|magazine=Rolling Stone|author=Nick Murray|date=June 26, 2014|access-date=June 26, 2014}}

On July 17, Owl City released a visualizer video for the song "Wolf Bite" premiering on MetroLyrics.com through Vevo.{{cite web|url=http://www.metrolyrics.com/news-story-owl-city-wolf-bite-video-handwritten-lyrics.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915201553/http://www.metrolyrics.com/news-story-owl-city-wolf-bite-video-handwritten-lyrics.html|archive-date=2015-09-15|url-status=unfit |title=Owl City Premieres New 'Wolf Bite' Video, Shares Handwritten Lyrics |publisher=Metrolyrics.com |access-date=July 18, 2014}} On August 1, a visualizer video for "Up All Night" was released. Adam Young has expressed his interest to create respective visualizers for each song in this EP.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JNg8I6IjwY |title=Owl City - Up All Night (Official Visualizer) |publisher=YouTube |access-date=August 4, 2014}} On August 29, the video for "This Isn't the End" was released and serves as the last visualizer for the EP. The song was also included on the subsequent studio album, Mobile Orchestra.

Adam Young wrote and produced the EP entirely by himself.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ultraviolet-mw0002692328|title=Owl City - Ultraviolet EP Review|website=AllMusic|access-date=February 19, 2023}} According to Young, the EP is a "deeper venture into EDM" and has a more "edgier sound to Owl City than experienced before."

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = Jesus Freak Hideout

|rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/UltravioletEP.asp|title=Owl City - Ultraviolet|website=Jesus Freak Hideout|date=September 2, 2014|author=Scott Fryberger|accessdate=April 18, 2023}}

}}

Ultraviolet was generally met with positive reviews. Fred Thomas of AllMusic stated, "Ultraviolet's high point was first song and subsequent single 'Beautiful Times', a bounding pop track marked by soaring string arrangements from guest violinist Lindsey Stirling." Marcus Floyd of Renowned for Sound remarked, "There are definitely some different sounds being experimented here with Ultraviolet, standing out from the light hearted pop previously tapped into by Owl City." Scott Fryberger of Jesus Freak Hideout called the EP "a breath of fresh air" and compared the record to Owl City's third studio album, All Things Bright and Beautiful.

Ultraviolet peaked at No. 30 on the Billboard 200 chart. The EP sold 9,000 copies in its first week in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases|title=Upcoming Releases - Hits Daily Double|website=Hits Daily Double|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704211824/http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases|archivedate=July 4, 2015|access-date=July 29, 2024}} The lead single "Beautiful Times" peaked at number 91 on the Japan Hot 100 chart.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/owl-city/chart-history/jpn/|title=Owl City Chart History (Japan Hot 100)|magazine=Billboard|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118020716/https://www.billboard.com/artist/owl-city/chart-history/jpn/|archivedate=November 18, 2021|access-date=February 3, 2023}} "Wolf Bite" reached the US Christian Rock Songs chart and the US Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales at number 22 and number 48 respectively.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/owl-city/chart-history/christian-rock|title=Owl City – Chart History: Christian Rock|magazine=Billboard|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111235714/https://www.billboard.com/music/owl-city/chart-history/christian-rock|archivedate=November 11, 2020|access-date=March 6, 2023}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/Owl-City/chart-history/DDT|title=Owl City — Chart History: Dance/Electronic Digital Songs|magazine=Billboard|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221053055/https://www.billboard.com/music/Owl-City/chart-history/DDT|archivedate=December 21, 2019|access-date=March 6, 2023}} "This Isn't the End" peaked at number six on the UK Cross Rhythms Weekly Chart.{{cite web|url=https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/chart/?date=20160410|title=Cross Rhythms Top Ten: Week Beginning 10 April 2016|website=Cross Rhythms|access-date=June 23, 2023}} "Up All Night" entered the South Korean GAON International chart at number 91.{{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?serviceGbn=ALL&termGbn=week&hitYear=2015&targetTime=22&nationGbn=E|title=Gaon Digital Chart: 2015.05.17~2015.05.23|website=GAON|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529111729/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?serviceGbn=ALL&termGbn=week&hitYear=2015&targetTime=22&nationGbn=E|archive-date=May 29, 2015|access-date=April 16, 2024}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Ultraviolet track listing

| all_writing = Adam Young

| title1 = Beautiful Times

| length1 = 3:25

| note1 = featuring Lindsey Stirling

| title2 = Up All Night

| length2 = 3:51

| title3 = This Isn't the End

| length3 = 3:24

| title4 = Wolf Bite

| length4 = 3:50

| total_length = 14:30

}}

;Notes

• After deciding to include "This Isn't the End" as the closer on his fifth studio album Mobile Orchestra,{{cite web|url=https://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/MobileOrchestra.asp|title=Owl City - Mobile Orchestra Review|website=Jesus Freak Hideout|author=Scott Fryberger|date=June 30, 2015|access-date=February 18, 2025}} the EP was reissued without the song on May 14, 2015.{{cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/28SzBs2cLi4NTT5B85ysRF?si=kCNOC0A0TLG6ZGt9wnDFDg|title=Ultraviolet - Single by Owl City|website=Spotify|access-date=July 27, 2024}}

• {{YouTube|gfA-tPKPoNs|Beautiful Times}}
• {{YouTube|8JNg8I6IjwY|Up All Night}}
• {{YouTube|IdVO1EG3Hes|Wolf Bite}}
• {{YouTube|MP6VjY4nOfI|This Isn't the End}}

Audio

• {{YouTube|NNYKVbIqYqY|Beautiful Times}}
• {{YouTube|DMIn2p_5a9Y|Up All Night}}
• {{YouTube|2sQuDu42y7g|Wolf Bite}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Owl City}}

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Category:Owl City albums