Ultra is the debut studio album by English pop band Ultra,released on 25 January 1999 by East West Records (Warner Music Group). Produced by former Tears for Fears member,Ian Stanley,the album showcases the band's characteristic emphasis on musicianship,with vocals and piano by James Hearn,guitar by Michael Harwood,bass by Nick Keynes,and drums and percussion by Jon O'Mahony. Although often marketed alongside contemporary boy bands,Ultra distinguished itself by writing and performing its own material,positioning the group as a more instrument-driven pop act.
Before its domestic release in the United Kingdom,Ultra achieved notable early success across Southeast Asia and parts of Europe. Its first singles,particularly "Say You Do" and "Say It Once" received strong radio support and helped establish the group in overseas markets. The album was subsequently rush-released in several Asian territories in mid-1998—such as Indonesia,Thailand,Taiwan,Malaysia,and Hong Kong—followed by a launch in Japan. Momentum later extended to Europe,where "Say It Once" topped Italian airplay charts and the band's appearance on the Festivalbar television series significantly boosted their visibility. Upon its UK release,the album debuted and peaked at number 37 on the UK Albums Chart.
Critically,Ultra received a mix of praise and reservation. Reviewers commended the album's polished arrangements and melodic pop sensibility,noting its blend of funk-inflected tracks and smooth,distinctive production. Others,argued that the band's attempt to differentiate itself from manufactured pop was undermined by formulaic songwriting and restrained vocal delivery. By late 1998 and early 1999,the album had recorded strong commercial results internationally,including gold-level sales in Italy and Indonesia.
Background
Ultra was a British pop band from Buckinghamshire,consisting of Michael Harwood (guitar),James Herne (vocals),Jon O'Mahony (drums),and Nick Keynes (bass).[1] Formed during the members' school years,the group developed independently by performing in local venues,recording demos,and seeking industry opportunities on their own. The band strongly resisted the "boy band" label,emphasizing that they wrote their own music,played their own instruments,and did not employ choreographed dance routines,which they viewed as a gimmick to conceal a lack of musical ability.[2] They were managed by Tony Gordon,known for his work with Culture Club and Curiosity Killed the Cat.[3]
Release and promotion
Ultra's international career progressed far more rapidly than East West Records had anticipated,leading the label to release the band's debut album in several overseas territories before the United Kingdom. The group's initial breakthrough occurred in Southeast Asia,where the debut single "Say You Do" gained strong radio support.[4] To reinforce this early momentum,the band spent three weeks in the region in July 1998,undertaking a series of promotional activities. To take advantage of the strong reception,East West rush-released Ultra in Indonesia,Thailand,Singapore,Taiwan,Malaysia,Hong Kong,and South Korea,issuing versions that included additional tracks specifically prepared for the Asian market. The album was also released in Japan in mid-October.[5]
Following the success in Asia,Italy and the Scandinavian countries became the next territories to adopt the project. In Italy,the single "Say It Once" reached number one on the airplay chart,prompting the local affiliate to release the album in mid-September.[5] The band's appearance on Festivalbar performing "Say It Once",one of the country's most prominent television entertainment programs,reached an estimated audience of six million viewers and played a key role in strengthening their visibility in the Italian market.[6]
Critical reception
Gerald Martinez of the New Straits Times viewed Ultra as a surprisingly well-crafted pop album for such a young band. He highlighted the delivering tracks with solid arrangements and light,polished vocals. For Martinez,the album offers effective pop songs —such as "Say It Once",with its tight,funky rhythm,and "Blind to the Groove",with its New Orleans–style soul feel —and presents a distinctive,driven sound.[7]
Caroline Sullivan,writing for The Guardian,noted that although the band distinguished itself from typical boy-band conventions by playing its own instruments and adopting a more cynical stance toward the manufactured pop system,the album still sounded formulaic. According to her,the group's guitar-bass-drums setup did little to prevent the tracks from feeling uniformly bland,particularly in the vocal arrangements,whose breathy harmonies she described as indistinguishable from those of other boy bands. Sullivan concluded that the record lacked the stronger vocal presence associated with acts such as Take That.[8]
Kris Teo of the Sunday Mail described Ultra as a modest yet appealing debut,noting that the group showed a clear knack for crafting catchy pop songs,particularly in tracks like "Say You Do" and "The Right Time". Although she observed that the band positioned itself away from the "boyband" label,Teo argued that the album succeeded through its light,melodic approach and smooth vocal blend,which evoked the feel of pop music from the 1970s.[9]
Commercial performance
As of October 1998,the album had so far sold 60,000 copies in South East Asia and was selling at a rate of around 5,000 copies a week. In Italy,the album charted at number nine and shipped 44,000 copies by the same date.[5] In August 1998,Billboard reported that,in Taiwan,the group had "paid their lip-sync and album-signing dues and had racked up big sales in the country".[10] In February 1999,the same magazine reported that the album reached gold-level sales in Italy (50,000) and Indonesia (5,000).[11]
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