Last Friday, OLAN delivered a masterful sophomore album titled Floating Worlds. The indie electronic live act and DJ into a thoroughly authentic sonic world spanning 11 completely original productions. From the very first notes of Floating Worlds, the listener is engulfed in the unique and rich production of OLAN. The album, and OLAN’s discography, features a blend of melodic house, breakbeat, downtempo, and UK Garage. Within the album, I found “Salt” as a standout track at it’s midpoint with it’s mesmerizing aura of synths amidst the scattered drums grooves. Although there are varied influences throughout the album, the cohesion between the tracks is effortless. The biggest success of this album comes with its ability to stir an array of emotions throughout the journey. I highly recommend this as a start-to-finish listen that is worth your while!
With the release of the album, OLAN tells us:
This album as a whole has been a way for me to confront any grief or disappointment I experienced in the last four years. ‘Floating Worlds’ literally refers to how unreliable and flaky our existence can be. As the album took shape, I started to realize I wasn’t alone in what I was feeling. That didn’t justify anything, but not feeling alone meant there’s a way to cope.”
OLAN also found inspiration for Floating Worlds while on her tour with ODESZA. The album draws on the concept of ‘liminal space’ from the book House of Leaves. Here, the author represents a journey from existential crisis to fulfillment in life’s simple joys. OLAN intertwines this transformative process in her new music, which she hopes will resonate with listeners navigating their own transitions.
More about OLAN
Originating in 2015, OLAN is an indie electronic live act and DJ created by songwriter and producer Luzana Flores. After years of experimentation spanning genres from R&B to alternative rock, OLAN found solace in returning to her early influences, such as Bonobo, Little Dragon, Maribou State, and SBTRKT, propelling herself into a more introspective domain as a songwriter and producer.
OLAN
With many months spent in solitude, ‘Contra’ emerged as OLAN’s debut album on Anjunadeep. OLAN prominently incorporated her own live instrumentation and vocals while recording the album. Suitably, Flores took ‘Contra’ on tour in 2021, gracing stages at Electric Forest, Beyond Wonderland, Ultra, The Gorge, and supporting Ben Böhmer on his North American tour.
As of 2023, OLAN has performed at numerous iconic venues, including Red Rocks, Printworks, The Concourse Project, and Avant Gardner, and has released follow-up tracks on Odesza’s imprint Foreign Family and Ninja Tune, including the collaborative ‘Control’ EP with Philadelphia-based producer QRTR. This collaboration led to a season-long support spot for Odesza’s ‘The Last Goodbye’ stadium tour, alongside Bonobo, Tokimonsta, and Bob Moses. Additionally, OLAN showcased her remixing talents with a remix of Slow Magic and Laxcity’s song “Connection”.
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