Mysterious electro-pop duo atOlla state that their music was conceptualised by a love story about a man who drowns at sea and is brought back to life by deep-sea dwelling, bio-luminescent jellyfish. This statement may cause some to raise their eyebrows in confusion however when listening to the Sydney based duo’s otherworldly, 80s inspired output it all begins to make sense.
The high concept storytelling and textured vocals of Sydney duo atOlla makes for an engrossing listen. The final chapter in their trilogy, Lucille, is sure not to disappoint.
atOlla comprises of singer-songwriter Matilda Stephanie and songwriter-producer James Santos. The band creates soundscapes that manage to feel ancient and futurist at the same time. These beats are then toped off with rich, textured vocals. The result is tight, dreamy tracks that take you under water- making you contemplate love, death and jellyfish. There isn’t much information out there about this enigmatic duo; they seem content to let their music do the talking. In an age of over exposure and self-promotion this is refreshing.
Their latest release Arctic Gazing is the first song of of their forthcoming EP Lucille. Lucille is the third and final chapter in the bands concept trilogy and given the quality of the previous two instalments looks like it will be a mesmeric end to the journey.
atOlla’s debut EP Ophelia started us off with I. The Theme, a cosmic synth track that’s light, a delicate beat is paired with emotive lyrics about taking flight before the sky falls down. There is a beautiful vulnerability in the way Stephanie delivers the lyrics – creating a song that sucks you in and makes you stare at the wall in a melancholic daze. Ophelia is a cohesive EP that introduced us to their lyrical storytelling, setting the stage for what comes next. The visual imagery created by these songs establishes, in my head at least, a link between atOlla and a Cloudbusting era Kate Bush.
The second EP in the trilogy is Ayapaneco, which has a more upbeat, nu-disco vibe than its predecessor- making one feel as though this is the moment the bioluminescent jellyfish will start doing their thing. This feeling is later validated in the EP closer IV Low Tide, when Stephanie states that the ancient fish are breathing new life into our protagonist – the slow, direct delivery of these lyrics sounds like an all knowing figure speaking to us from the sky.
All of this sets the stage for atOlla’s final chapter Lucille, of which we have currently only heard one track – Arctic Gazing. Arctic Gazing is a pop hit waiting to happen and is easily the most accessible of the band’s present releases. The song goes full ball with the 80s synth elements before fading out to an industrial sounding clanging suggestive of waves. The way that Artic Gazing fades out to this somewhat bleak sound suggests all might not be well for our drowned lover.
I’ve never been one for concept albums before but these guys have me hooked. Lucille is slated for release early this year – stay tuned.
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