The prolific London producer, song-writer and DJ steps up to the plates for the next Off The Record mix.
Francesca Macri also known by her now well known moniker System Olympia has been stretching the genres of new-wave, disco and club sounds to her whim since the mid 2010’s. With her 2020 debut album “Delta Of Venus” still in huge demand sitting on discogs for a keen collectors price it only speaks volumes about Macri’s fan base. Having followed up her successful debut with the synth driven “Racing Heart” and the stunning “Always On Time” in more recent years, not to forget most recently her critically acclaimed new EP “Sanctified”; System Olympia has won fans over with her unique ear and keen eye to her sound, each time bringing something new to the table. As well as performing live shows, the artist also enjoys taking punters on journeys in her diverse DJ sets and this is where we move on to the mix. An hour of leftfield disco, rare boogie gems and synthy anthems all mixed to perfection. Pop that bottle of champagne, cue up the system and shine your phone light at the disco ball in your room. This is Off The Record 48: System Olympia!
Hey Francesca, thanks for joining us! Can you tell us about your mix and what the idea behind it was?
This mix is an incessant hot groove that raises your heart beat with dreamy tenderness and for one hour, it makes you feel like everything in this world is supposed to just be, so you might as well just let go and dance.
Can you tell us a bit about how you usually approach recording a mix or a set?
I listen to music all day, every day. Whether I am in the studio recording, or at home cooking, walking anywhere, flying, I have music on. In the little time it’s not playing from monitors or headphones, it’s most likely playing in my head. Making a mix for me is just a matter of pressing the record button. The music is with me already.
What are your preferred methods for finding new music—do you still enjoy digging around in dusty crates, or do you prefer to buy online?
I dig online a lot, these days I buy fewer but “better” records – especially the ones I couldn’t afford before.
Also most of my closest friends are record collectors and hardcore diggers, so we feed off each other’s music obsession quite a bit.
Your latest release “Sanctified” is a shop favorite for sure, what was the idea behind this release?
All my records are moments in time – they are like chapters of my life.
I make music pretty constantly, for me it is kind of like writing a journal where events and emotions are recorded via melodies and lyrics.
Whatever is the theme of what I have been living, it becomes the theme of the record.
What has been one of your most memorable sets over your career?
A long time ago in LA , Daddy Kev used to have this night called Low End Theory, it was a beatmaker party where producers would get on stage and play their own beats. It was the time when FlyLo and all that scene was coming up and I was so into it. They asked me to play and I was so excited ,but I don’t actually remember my set. What I remember is drinking at some Chinese place on Melrose and then riding in my friend’s Lincoln and him playing this amazing version of Atmosfear “Xtra Special” and me being so drunk and happy and excited on the way to the club in the car.
It was one of those moments that feel like the beginning of happiness – many years later I have learnt that they are not beginnings, they are happiness.
What do you have up your sleeve for 2024?
Definitely more music, more gigs, and I have a couple big, ambitious projects I am working on but I won’t talk about them until I am ready to present them to the world.
