Ola “Olanskii” Smith-Simonsen is Jæger’s robust rudder, unwavering in his pursuit of new music born from the traditions of black American electronic music, rooted in the traditions of Chicago, Detroit and New York. Loyal to the residents, Olanskii preserves Jæger’s position as a hub for electronic music in Oslo, first and foremost providing a platform for Jæger and Norway’s incredible talent pool, to which he himself makes an incredible contribution. Alongside G-Ha he’s established two of the most significant benefactions to electronic music in Norway through Sunkissed and Frædag, which offers Jæger and it’s audiences a window to the world.
More than that however, Olanskii is a tireless purveyor of electronic music, with an ever-expanding record collection that samples everything from Disco to avant garde Techno, a record collection that sits just two floors above Jæger’s cabin basement, almost consuming the very office from where Jæger’s daily operation is commences each day. Week in and week out, records arrive at Olanskii’s desk featuring some of the newest and most engaging pieces out there, pieces that eventually make it onto our turntables and through our Funktion One systems every Frædag.
It’s not often that these selections ever make it much further than our booth, but a recent Frædag session was just too good to keep to ourselves, so with Olanskii’s blessing we now have the opportunity to listen back to his set from a few weeks back. It’s Olanskii at his idiosyncratic best, finding a singular mood through a diverse musical collection that spans the entire electronic music spectrum. From afrobeat rhythms to sultry vocals, Olanskii’s set is made up of elements of Disco, Techno and House that conspire in a minimalist, sparse landscape that bounds with life, engaging with the listener on an objective level.
Come and hear more of it tonight when he and G-Ha again assume their residency for Frædag with Helena Hauff and N.M.O.