OLAN| BIO 2023
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Originating in 2015, OLAN is an Indie Electronic project created by songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Luzana Flores. After years of experimenting and floating in between genres ranging from R&B to alternative rock, OLAN found comfort in returning to her early influences from the likes of Bonobo, Little Dragon, Maribou State, and SBTRKT--pushing herself into a more introspective domain as a songwriter and producer.
The Georgia state native has a colourful songwriting catalogue, including co-writing credits for 'Buss It' for Ari Lennox, collaborations with Mat Zo on his 2020 album 'Illusion of Depth', the single release of 'In Motion' with rising star Nourey, and 'Push', first released on Anjunadeep's Reflections series. In June 2022, OLAN emerged from the uncertainty of the pandemic with her debut album.
The culmination of many months in solitude, 'Contra' began as a natural form of escape and expression for OLAN, helping her find peace amidst the years of uncertainty brought on by the pandemic:
"'Contra' is an album I wrote as a way to find some peace with my life having no definitive purpose at the time. I often try to attach meaning to everything I encounter. I force myself to relive memories. I'll try to unpack them and see how I could change my reality if I had just been a better person."
Musically, 'Contra' is inculcated with a variety of electronic styles from melodic house, breakbeat, downtempo and drum & bass, to ambient and hip-hop. Influenced by the likes of Maribou State, Little Dragon, T.E.E.D and Bonobo, as well as the cult video game 'Outer Wilds', the sound of 'Contra' is fluid and alluringly hard to pin down. OLAN's penchant for textural soundscapes is showcased in atmospheric tracks such as 'Push' and 'Submerge' and the buoyant Balearic vibes of 'Material'. Conversely, the jungle rhythms and acid basslines on 'Promise To Keep' and 'Reckoning' demonstrate how raw, energetic dance-inducing songwriting comes naturally to the Atlanta-based producer.
The aforementioned themes of self-awareness and self-acceptance are persistent throughout the album, realized in OLAN's considered lyrics. Opening track 'Submerge' contemplates the cyclical nature of life's lessons, exclaiming "there's no limit to the depth that I can relive it all". Other tracks such as 'Promise To Keep' and 'Ultraviolet' raise questions about fulfillment and where it comes from - "I'm asking more questions / Taking no secrets / But is there a message / When nothing is sacred?". Each song presented a cathartic moment for Lu, as she explains:
"Making this album was the first time I could be present with the grief, loneliness, or isolation I felt when my expectations didn't match my surroundings. It made me realize how much happier I am when I detach from stories or specific outcomes."
A gifted and classically trained musician who learnt her craft between orchestra classes and worship bands, OLAN prominently incorporated her own live instrumentation and vocals whilst recording the album. Suitably, Flores took 'Contra' on tour live this year, with performances at Beyond Wonderland, Ultra, The Gorge Weekender, and alongside Ben Böhmer on his North American tour.
As of 2023, OLAN has performed at many iconic venues including Red Rocks, Printworks, Avant Gartner, and released follow-up tracks on Odesza's imprint Foreign Family. She is currently on tour with QRTR to support them on their 'The Last Goodbye' Tour alongside Bonobo, Tokimonsta, and Bob Moses.
