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System Olympia
In the velvet embrace of London's nightlife, System Olympia, the alter ego of Italian-born Francesca Macri, weaves a sonic tapestry that pulses with desire and decadence. Her music, a sultry blend of Italo-disco, synthwave, and soul, slinks through the air like a lover’s whisper, drawing inspiration from the fevered pages of erotic literature and the intoxicating blur of late-night drives in her Mercedes-Benz. With lush pads, dreamy synths, and gritty drums, her sound is a slow burn, each earworm melody igniting sparks of romance and longing on the dance floor.
Born in the sun-drenched beaches of Southern Italy, Francesca’s journey began amidst the raw energy of Rome’s club scene, where she honed her craft as a DJ in her teens. Her passion for music, sparked by the soulful grooves of Marvin Gaye and the ethereal textures of 70s soul, carried her across oceans to Los Angeles, where she soaked in funk, jazz, and the city’s electric pulse. Now rooted in London, she commands the airwaves with a monthly NTS Radio residency, her mixes a seductive cocktail of boogie, R&B, and unreleased gems.
System Olympia’s discography is a love letter to the senses. Her debut EP, Dusk and Dreamland (2017), smoulders with smoky electronic textures, while Delta of Venus (2020), an ode to the provocative 1977 anthology of erotic stories, is an underground classic that drips with cinematic allure. Always on Time (2021), lauded by Pitchfork, captures the heartbeat of fleeting romance, and her 2023 New Erotica Collection is a decadent exploration of love’s highs and lows. Her latest, the Sanctified EP (2024), featuring a collaboration with Working Men’s Club, is a velvet caress over a wounded heart, its melancholy melodies and sultry vocals a testament to her evolving artistry.
As the founder of Okay Nature Records, Francesca pours her soul into every release, her music a mirror to her unapologetic sensuality. “My sexuality is interconnected to my emotional life, like my sound is connected to my vision,” she confesses, her aesthetic as authentic as it is provocative. From the purple glow of her London studio to the vintage erotica-inspired artwork that adorns her releases, System Olympia crafts a world where pleasure and vulnerability intertwine. Her tracks, featured on Mount Kimbie’s DJ Kicks and DJ Harvey’s The Sound of Mercury Rising, resonate with a timeless allure, inviting listeners to surrender to the rhythm of their own desires.
Whether spinning vinyl at a dimly lit club or crafting soundtracks that evoke the thrill of a midnight rendezvous, System Olympia is a siren of modern music.
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