Jack Kelly on ‘Unfold’, Bedroom Production and Building Belfast’s Deep House Scene

Undrtone Blog
Sep 12
3 min read

Belfast-born producer Jack Kelly is back on Perfect Havoc with his latest single ‘Unfold’, out now. It’s a moody progressive track that leans into darker territory than his previous releases, pairing shadowy synths and steady drums with a vocal soaked in tension. It marks another evolution in sound for an artist steadily carving out a name in the melodic and progressive space.

Talking about the creative shift, Jack says the vocal was the driving force: “When I first heard the vocals, I immediately felt they needed something darker and moodier to sit on. I wanted this track to be more DJ-friendly than some of my previous releases, and leaning into that deeper, heavier sound just felt like the right move.”

It’s a track that balances emotion with functionality, designed for late-night floors but built with Kelly’s ear for atmosphere. He admits his process always starts with texture: “My process almost always starts with chords or some kind of ambient texture. If I can nail that atmosphere, the rest usually falls into place pretty quickly. I like to weave in little synth motifs that respond to the vocals too — it keeps the track playful and adds a signature touch to my sound.”

That attention to detail has enabled his music to reach over 20 million streams across labels such as Selected, Loudkult, Chill Your Mind, and Radiance. His recent Perfect Havoc releases ‘Medicine’ and ‘Minus Degrees’ added to that tally, with support coming from global names like David Guetta, Armin van Buuren and Oliver Heldens. “It’s honestly surreal,” he says of the co-signs. “I’m still producing out of my bedroom, so hearing artists like Guetta, Armin or Heldens not only play my music but introduce it to their audiences is incredible. To know something that started as an idea in my head can reach that level is a huge motivator.”

Beyond the studio, Kelly has also been building his profile as a DJ, playing at Amsterdam Dance Event and London’s Ministry of Sound. The latter stands out as a career highlight: “Ministry of Sound with the Perfect Havoc team was a huge standout. It’s such an iconic venue, and the energy from the crowd there is unreal — from the very first track to the last.”

Back home in Belfast, he has also been putting energy into Sometime Soon, a new deep house event series that he co-runs. Both of the first two shows sold out at Lavery’s Terrace, quickly marking it as one of the city’s most exciting new club brands. “When I moved back to Belfast from London, I felt a real gap in the city’s dance scene,” he explains. “A few of us who are passionate about deep house decided to come together and build something new. We all brought different skills to the table, and that’s how Sometime Soon was born.”

The response has exceeded expectations, with a crowd eager for a fresh take on house music in Belfast. “I think Belfast just hasn’t had much exposure to deep house in a proper live setting, so people are excited to experience it. What’s been really special is seeing people return for the second show and bring their friends along — the buzz spreads quickly here.”

Crucially, Sometime Soon has also been a platform for homegrown talent. “Supporting local talent is at the heart of what we’re doing,” Jack says. “The DJs we book are also close friends of mine, so giving them a platform feels really personal. It’s also important for the crowd to see just how much talent is coming out of their own city, maybe even artists they haven’t come across before.”

With winter approaching, the team is considering taking the series indoors and adjusting the format. “The outdoor terrace shows at Lavery’s have been incredible, but as we head into winter, we’re definitely looking at moving indoors and switching up the format. We want to keep things fresh, so the next edition will definitely bring a slightly different experience.”

Between ‘Unfold’ and the growth of Sometime Soon, Kelly has his sights firmly set on expanding both his music and event brand in tandem. “Testing out new tracks at Sometime Soon has been a game-changer, because I can see people’s reactions before finishing them. I’ve got a few more releases lined up for autumn, with the next one dropping very soon, and we’re already deep into planning the third edition of Sometime Soon.”

‘Unfold’ is available to download and stream now via Perfect Havoc: https://perfecthavoc.lnk.to/unfold.