TuneLab
OLAN |
Live at Anjunadeep x Printworks London 2021
OLAN’s live set at the iconic Printworks for Anjunadeep is a bold statement—proof that the label’s borders are expanding to include more broken beats and leftfield sonics. This is for the Anjunadeep fan who secretly prefers the weird stuff on the edges of the playlist, the ones who crave rhythm over straight fours. The vast, industrial architecture of Printworks provides the perfect canvas for this kind of expansive, genre-blurring sound. Without strict BPM data, the mix feels intentionally fluid and dynamic, likely ebbing and flowing between 110 and 130 BPM, with a focus on melodic and rhythmic contrast rather than harmonic mixing.
The energy balance leans into the mid-range for emotional weight, with OLAN’s own ethereal vocals and intricate synth work shining through, supported by a low-end that’s more textured than driving. It’s a live performance in the truest sense, with original material and live elements taking center stage over DJ tools. The set is compellingly opaque, peppered with OLAN’s own unreleased IDs that tease everything from ambient introspection to driving, analog synth workouts. The inclusion of Lakou Mizik & Joseph Ray’s “Kite Zo A” is a masterstroke, adding a stunning, folk-inflected global touch with its Haitian rhythms.
TSHA’s “Power” brings a vital dose of rolling, UK garage-inspired breakbeat energy, while Cassian’s “Imagination” ft. Tora offers a more familiar, vocal-led deep house moment for the purists. Don’t overlook OLAN’s own “Wake And Return” for its melancholic beauty. The journey is one of discovery: from the mysterious, atmospheric opener of an OLAN ID, through the cross-cultural, rhythmic peak of “Kite Zo A,” to the epic, sunrise-breaking conclusion of BRONSON’s “Dawn” with Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs.