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Ulver Unveils Retro-Futuristic Music Video for "Hollywood Babylon"
Ulver, the Norwegian experimental outfit that began as a black‑metal band in the early 1990s, released a new music video for the track “Hollywood Babylon” on 17 July 2026. The video, which stars actress Sara Khorami, is the first visual accompaniment to a song from the group’s 2024 album Liminal Animals.
The video was produced by the duo Johnsen and Mona, who also curated the project. Ulver’s own statement notes that the clip is a “retro‑futuristic gem” and that the band worked again with Christian (Mona), a former collaborator from the Bogus Blimp project. The clip is available on the band’s official channels and on several music‑video platforms.
Liminal Animals was issued on 29 November 2024 and is described as an electronic avant‑garde record. It follows a long line of releases that have taken the group from the folklore‑influenced black‑metal sound of Bergtatt to a more eclectic mix of experimental rock, ambient, and synth‑pop. According to the album’s Apple Music page, the record was recorded and produced at Lupercal in Oslo’s Old Town, with additional sessions at Pitch Black Star Spangled Studio.
The decision to produce a video for a track that appeared on an album released more than a year earlier is unusual for Ulver, who have historically released music without accompanying visual media. In a brief social‑media post, the band explained that the video “has never looked better” and that it serves as a “distorted mirror of our times.” The clip’s retro‑futuristic aesthetic and its use of Sara Khorami’s performance are intended to match the album’s experimental tone.
Khorami, a Norwegian actress, is best known for her roles in the 2026 film Kraken and the 2025 Netflix release Troll 2. Her appearance in the Ulver video marks her first collaboration with the band. The actress’s involvement was highlighted in the band’s announcement, which referred to her as “our dearest @sara_khorami_official.” While the video does not contain dialogue, Khorami’s presence adds a cinematic layer to the music’s visual narrative.
Ulver’s evolution has been well documented. The group was founded in 1993 by vocalist Kristoffer Rygg and has released more than a dozen albums across a wide range of styles. According to the band’s Wikipedia entry, the lineup has included Rygg, Tore Ylwizaker, Jørn H. Sværen, and Daniel O’Sullivan, among others. The band’s early work, such as Nattens madrigal (1997), was released through Century Media, but after a dispute the group created its own imprint, Jester Records, in 1998.
The release of the Hollywood Babylon video demonstrates Ulver’s continued willingness to experiment with form and medium. By pairing a track from a recent album with a new visual concept, the band is extending the life cycle of Liminal Animals and offering fans a fresh way to experience the music. The video’s retro‑futuristic style also aligns with the album’s themes of liminality, a concept that Ulver has explored in both musical and lyrical content.
As of now, Ulver has not announced additional videos or new releases beyond the Hollywood Babylon clip. The band’s official channels continue to promote the Liminal Animals album, and the video remains available for streaming. Fans can view the clip on the band’s YouTube channel and on other music‑video platforms that host Ulver’s content.
The video’s release underscores Ulver’s ongoing commitment to artistic innovation and signals that the group remains active in producing new material and visual content, even as it revisits earlier work from its recent catalog.
The video was produced by the duo Johnsen and Mona, who also curated the project. Ulver’s own statement notes that the clip is a “retro‑futuristic gem” and that the band worked again with Christian (Mona), a former collaborator from the Bogus Blimp project. The clip is available on the band’s official channels and on several music‑video platforms.
Liminal Animals was issued on 29 November 2024 and is described as an electronic avant‑garde record. It follows a long line of releases that have taken the group from the folklore‑influenced black‑metal sound of Bergtatt to a more eclectic mix of experimental rock, ambient, and synth‑pop. According to the album’s Apple Music page, the record was recorded and produced at Lupercal in Oslo’s Old Town, with additional sessions at Pitch Black Star Spangled Studio.
The decision to produce a video for a track that appeared on an album released more than a year earlier is unusual for Ulver, who have historically released music without accompanying visual media. In a brief social‑media post, the band explained that the video “has never looked better” and that it serves as a “distorted mirror of our times.” The clip’s retro‑futuristic aesthetic and its use of Sara Khorami’s performance are intended to match the album’s experimental tone.
Khorami, a Norwegian actress, is best known for her roles in the 2026 film Kraken and the 2025 Netflix release Troll 2. Her appearance in the Ulver video marks her first collaboration with the band. The actress’s involvement was highlighted in the band’s announcement, which referred to her as “our dearest @sara_khorami_official.” While the video does not contain dialogue, Khorami’s presence adds a cinematic layer to the music’s visual narrative.
Ulver’s evolution has been well documented. The group was founded in 1993 by vocalist Kristoffer Rygg and has released more than a dozen albums across a wide range of styles. According to the band’s Wikipedia entry, the lineup has included Rygg, Tore Ylwizaker, Jørn H. Sværen, and Daniel O’Sullivan, among others. The band’s early work, such as Nattens madrigal (1997), was released through Century Media, but after a dispute the group created its own imprint, Jester Records, in 1998.
The release of the Hollywood Babylon video demonstrates Ulver’s continued willingness to experiment with form and medium. By pairing a track from a recent album with a new visual concept, the band is extending the life cycle of Liminal Animals and offering fans a fresh way to experience the music. The video’s retro‑futuristic style also aligns with the album’s themes of liminality, a concept that Ulver has explored in both musical and lyrical content.
As of now, Ulver has not announced additional videos or new releases beyond the Hollywood Babylon clip. The band’s official channels continue to promote the Liminal Animals album, and the video remains available for streaming. Fans can view the clip on the band’s YouTube channel and on other music‑video platforms that host Ulver’s content.
The video’s release underscores Ulver’s ongoing commitment to artistic innovation and signals that the group remains active in producing new material and visual content, even as it revisits earlier work from its recent catalog.
