Imagine a future without dance. Without dance music. Now forget about it and come with me.

It’s rare to find an artist so astute in their craft and in step with a genre they can reimagine it convincingly. Xani achieves this in her forthcoming release with electronic dance music. So inaccurately, yet so eloquently it may have actually happened just like that.

When pandemic restrictions limited our movements and human connection, artist, songwriter, and violin player Xani explored what it might be like to never dance again. Bleak, isn’t it? Dance has the power to transcend limitations, to take a person beyond the moment through the power of a beat, a rhythm, a movement of ideas. The thought of losing dance inspired Xani to create a world within her own reach where dance lived on and metamorphosised into something bigger than the present.

A huge fan of dance music and the iconic philosophical spirit of the dance floor, Xani dove deeper into the nuances of the culture, exploring the roots of electronic dance music (EDM). Where it’s taken her personally and how it’s driven cultures and subcultures throughout its short history.

On a quest to depict the in-actual history of her beloved dance music in her very own way, Xani engaged a visual artists’ approach to exhibiting a concept. Her platform for exhibiting? Sound. Her vehicle? Whatever and whomever got her back to that place. Connected on gritty dance floors again, transcending the moment. Under lasers, through smoke, in the subtle command of the music.

An Inaccurate History of Electronic Music is Xani’s version of that place. A story transcribed through violin, vocals, loops, frantic, primal energy and raw and organic collabs.

With this new concept album, Xani has created her own fictitious universe of dance. A place she escaped to over the solitary months of lockdowns, when dancing with, or performing to humans wasn’t an option. At the heart of it, An Inaccurate History of Electronic Music is an acutely personal interpretation of electronic dance music’s evolution through the ages. And the soul of it is good music to dance to. A party album where chapter, by chapter the (inaccurate) history of dance music is tracked by Xani – a veritable musical alchemist and total fangirl – and friends.

As well as playing violin, singing, producing, and writing, Xani dipped into her family of local musicians and dance music allies to explore, create, and dance around a fictitious and totally immersive world within the concept. This highly genre-lised, concept performance is a sequential collection of dance music genres of the past through to the imagined genres and sub-genres of the future with Xani at the helm.

With An Inaccurate History of Electronic Music Xani has created a new world to indulge in a luxury we never before realised was so invaluable.

“…a fictional world of EDM genres according to me. Where violin is at the centre of it all! Is that even allowed?”

“An Inaccurate History of Electronic Dance Music”, the concept album,  is due for release in March 2023

All songs written by Xani Kolac. Copyright Xani Kolac 2023.
Mastered by Isaac Barter.

An Inaccurate History of Electronic Dance Music - Full Album

Melbourne-based violinist and singer/songwriter XANI embarked on a one-of-a-kind project by announcing her upcoming single releases through a real-time creative session on Twitch kicking off every Sunday across three months.

In an attempt to completely flip the current release model on its head, XANI invited her loyal followers and supporters to join her on an exciting journey fuelled by audience interaction and improvisation to cooperatively create three new singles inspired by various themes and influences.

 “This project is all about flipping the music release model and inviting audience interaction while creating new music. What these songs will sound like, I have no idea...yet!”

Through a DIY writing tactic of utilising various live loops, grooves and effects, XANI built single ideas from the ground up and invited listeners to provide real-time feedback and suggestions in a real journey from raw concepts and collaboration to the eventual final product.

For the final month of this project, Xani pursued the writing and creating of the perfect love song as part of the theme of VOWS. Xani used mandolin and violin to come up with improvised love songs that she then crafted into finished songs. The audience voted on their favourite song, which was "You Make Me Complete"

"This song actually ended up being quite personal. Spending so many months locked down with my fiance Cristian was a true test of our relationship. Through all the ups and downs, we became a team, ebbing and flowing through each other's anxieties and helplessness, but also sharing in the gift of time to spend together. Despite the best of plans, we still haven't had our wedding. That's why this song is so special. It's a song I wrote about us and then I got Cristian to play on it with me."

lyrics
The world will still be standing if you don't finish what you started I swear
The wind will blow the sun will rise I promise darling nobody will carte

If you don't answer that call
If you don't submit that file
If you don't spell that right
It's gonna be fine

Why don't you lay down here
See how long we can just be
The world could fall to pieces
But you make me complete

Everybody knows that you're the one who gets things done out of us two, it's true
The rent always gets paid on time, the carpet's clean, the washing's on the line, drying

But the sun has come out from behind the clouds
We better make the most of it now
Leave the dishes by the sink
We can get back to it
credits

Violin, vocals - Xani Kolac
Guitars - Cristian Barbieri
Bass - Isaac Barter

Mixed and Mastered by Isaac Barter
Recorded by Xani Kolac

Cover art by Meg Kolac

This project is supported by Creative Victoria.

You Make Me Complete

Michelle lives in Paris. She just met a guy on Tinder. He’s from Liverpool. He sends her songs that he writes for her: “Michelle, ma belle, these are words that go together well…”. Anyway, I think he’s a creep. But they’re meeting up beneath the Arc de Triomph.

Xani’s new track “Michelle” is the second chapter of her forthcoming concept album “An Inaccurate History of Electronic Dance Music”. Drawing from hip hop roots and DJ loops, “Michelle” is two and a half minutes of dirty electric violin sounds, washy claps and an outrageously funky bass line. It tells the story of a scam man on Tinder and Michelle’s questionable choices.

Produced, recorded and mixed by Jan Skubiszewski (Jackson Jackson), Xani wanted the track to be dripping with retro hip hop references and punchy vocals, inspired by the pioneering DJs of hip-hop music and sampling, borrowing influences from The Beatles’ “Michelle” and the gypsy jazz stylings of French jazz violinist, Stephane Grappelli. 

“Michelle” was originally improvised to a Twitch live stream before being edited and shaped into the song it is today. 

“An Inaccurate History of Electronic Dance Music” is Xani’s forthcoming concept album (due out March 2023) featuring chapters throughout time of fictional and imagined EDM genres. Xani’s first chapter “Dreaming of You” was inspired by the world of disco and the chapters to come pay homage to Kraftwerk and German techno, Acid House, Trance and more. 

For now, join the crew trying to persuade Michelle “Don’t do it.”

“Michelle” was produced, recorded and mixed over two days at Red Moon Studios in regional Victoria with Jan Skubiszewski (The Cat Empire, A.B Original, Dan Sultan).

Xani Kolac - violin, keys, vocals
Justin Olsson - drums
Jan Skubisewski - everything else, bass, guitars, drum programming

Lyrics

V1:
Meet me honey girl
Under the arc
Plus belle femme do monde
Can I borrow your credit card
Meet me honey girl
Wear a yellow dress
Plus belle femme do monde
Girl, say yes

CH:
Michelle
Whatcha thinking
Whatcha planning
Don't do it

V2:
OMG Michelle
Are you legit?
“You make me open up”
Nah, he’s full of shit
All of them have cute dogs
What did he put for his height?
Google him again
Something isn’t right

V3:
I’m here under the arc
I wore my yellow dress
OMG it’s fine
I’m perfectly safe
Wait. Change of plans
Meet him in his room
I can’t talk right now
I’ve got to go

Michelle

Michelle lives in Paris. She just met a guy on Tinder. He’s from Liverpool. He sends her songs that he writes for her: “Michelle, ma belle, these are words that go together well…”. Anyway, I think he’s a creep. But they’re meeting up beneath the Arc de Triomph.

Xani’s new track “Michelle” is the second chapter of her forthcoming concept album “An Inaccurate History of Electronic Dance Music”. Drawing from hip hop roots and DJ loops, “Michelle” is two and a half minutes of dirty electric violin sounds, washy claps and an outrageously funky bass line. It tells the story of a scam man on Tinder and Michelle’s questionable choices.

Produced, recorded and mixed by Jan Skubiszewski (Jackson Jackson), Xani wanted the track to be dripping with retro hip hop references and punchy vocals, inspired by the pioneering DJs of hip-hop music and sampling, borrowing influences from The Beatles’ “Michelle” and the gypsy jazz stylings of French jazz violinist, Stephane Grappelli.

“Michelle” was originally improvised to a Twitch live stream before being edited and shaped into the song it is today.

“Michelle” was produced, recorded and mixed over two days at Red Moon Studios in regional Victoria with Jan Skubiszewski (The Cat Empire, A.B Original, Dan Sultan).

Xani Kolac - violin, keys, vocals
Justin Olsson - drums
Jan Skubisewski - everything else, bass, guitars, drum programming

V1:
Meet me honey girl
Under the arc
Plus belle femme do monde
Can I borrow your credit card
Meet me honey girl
Wear a yellow dress
Plus belle femme do monde
Girl, say yes

V2:
OMG Michelle
Are you legit?
“You make me open up”
Nah, he’s full of shit
All of them have cute dogs
What did he put for his height?
Google him again
Something isn’t right

V3:
I’m here under the arc
I wore my yellow dress
OMG it’s fine
I’m perfectly safe
Wait. Change of plans
Meet him in his room
I can’t talk right now
I’ve got to go

An Inaccurate History of Electronic Dance Music

Lyrics

I’m dying inside
I’m at emergency
Can’t taste my soup
Got 5Gs all over me
We’re sitting on the couch
We’re never getting out

Flash back
Close up
Four walls
What’s the plot?
Are we gonna lose
Channels soon
Go on, flick them lights
It’s a movie night yeah

It’s a movie night
Flick them lights
It’s a movie night
It’s a movie night yeah
It’s a movie night
Will it end alright?
It’s a movie night
It’s a movie night yeah

Time passing by
I look like shit again, 
Hoarding cans of beans
I’m jumping off moving trains
They set the bar at zero-
-Oh whiskey, will you be my hero?

Far fetched
B Grade
Rom com
Chem trails
Gonna lose my mind
Gotta shop online
Will it end alright?
It’s a movie night yeah

It’s a movie night
Flick them lights
It’s a movie night
It’s a movie night yeah
It’s a movie night
Will it end alright?
It’s a movie night
It’s a movie night yeah

I’m running out of money now
Low budget
Look how much we can live without
Rewind it
I’m running out of money now
Low budget
Look how much we can live without
Rewind it


Movie Night (X. Kolac)
Produced and recorded by LOLLIES

Violins and vocals recorded by Xani Kolac
Mixed by Jordie Lane at Lockeland Sound, Nashville, TN
Violin and vocals by Xani Kolac
Everything else by Clare Reynolds
Mastered by Isaac Barter

Movie Night

Astrojet (X. Kolac)
	Produced and recorded by Xani Kolac
	Mixed by Isaac Barter
	Violins and beats by Xani Kolac

Astrojet

Dreaming of You (X. Kolac)
Co-produced by Liam McGorry and Xani Kolac
Recorded by Isaac Barter
Violins and vocals recorded by Xani Kolac
Mixed by Isaac Barter
Violins and vocals performed by Xani Kolac
String arrangements by Xani Kolac
Drums and percussion by Justin Olsson
Bass by Isaac Barter
Guitars, keys and glockenspiel by Liam McGorry

Cover art by Lorna Kolac.

This imagined story begins with disco - one of Xani’s favourite genres and a magical place to start. “Dreaming of You” is the first chapter of An Inaccurate History of Electronic Dance Music and tells the story of a young woman so infatuated with the idea of love that she would happily dream her life away, submerged in bedsheets. Following the waves of sleep stages, “Dreaming of You” is a dream-pop, disco-inspired moment to get lost in. 
lyrics
I’m dreaming of you again
Til the tide pulls me back in

Close my eyes it’s time to sleep
Tonight we’re meeting in my dreams
You and me, my fantasy baby
Setting sail out on your boat Kiss my lips, you taste like salt Let’s float away from the shore

Dive in your pretty blue eyes
Take me out so deep Mesh our bodies Closer now that I’m asleep
Pretty blue eyes
Oh I’m in too deep Drifting off with the waves of your love

I’m dreaming of you again (night after night after night)
Til the tide pulls me back in (dragging me dragging me)
To my life, oh my life

A day is far too long to wait
 I’m hooked on night time seaside dates
Wish that I could sleep all the time
Feast on every word you say
 Drink in sunsets til they fade 
Live my life submerged in your smile

Dreaming Of You

You settled down
Hoped he’d change
Whispered to yourself
If you had your time again
You wouldn’t wait
For your heart to sink
See the glaciers melt
(Oh) this time you’re going

On a
Road Trip
Without him
You can start over
If you go on
A road trip
Without him

Take a breath
Smell the smoke
His love has burnt out
But you glow like a spark
Waterfalls
Flower fields
The Nullarbor plane are waiting

You’re going 
On a
Road trip
Without him
You can start over
If you go on
A road trip
Without him

With your heart wide open
You could leave tonight
Get out of the
Passenger side
There’ll be lonely sunsets
Years to unpack
Leave the dust in the mirror
And don’t look back

Final Chorus
You’re going 
On a
Road trip
To somewhere
You can start over
When you go on
Your road trip

Road Trip (X. Kolac)
	Produced by Xani Kolac
	Recorded by Xani Kolac
	Drums and bass recorded by Isaac Barter
	Mixed by Isaac Barter
	Violins, vocals, additional programming by Xani Kolac
	Drums by Justin Olsson
	Bass by Isaac Barter
	Guitars by Cristian Barbieri

Road Trip

Truffle Pigs (X. Kolac)
	Produced by Isaac Barter
	Recorded by Isaac Barter
	Violins and effects by Xani Kolac
	Drums by Justin Olsson
	Bass and additional programming by Isaac Barter

Truffle Pigs

One day your eyes
Will close
And the coldest stream
Won’t flow
Some day the stars
Won’t glow
And the hottest wind
Won’t blow

But I love
I love
I love
Forever

Even the sun
Burns out
But I love forever


Love Forever (Tonelab Remix) (X. Kolac)
	Produced, recorded and mixed by Tonelab
	Violin and vocals by Xani Kolac
	Everything else by Tonelab

Love Forever (Tonelab Remix)

You can be who you want
You can be who you want to be.

If you want to fly
If you want to float, spread your wings
You can be who you want to be.

If you want to run
If you want to go, tie your shoes
You can be who you want to be.

Violins, vocals and FX, produced, recorded and performed by Xani Kolac.
All drums and percussion performed by Justin Olsson.
Drums recorded by Isaac Barter.
Mixed and mastered by Isaac Barter.

B Who U Want 2 B

My sunny days of youth are well in the past
I should be feeling like a fine wine, shouldn’t I?
I don’t look as good in jeans anymore
working twice as hard, but everything’s sore

I don’t know where all the cool bars are
I still get scared when I hire a car
grey hairs appear on my head all the time
I’m pretending I’m totally fine

I still try too hard to please everyone
I get whiplash trying to keep this act up
I don’t feel wise, or secure in my skin
I feel as lost as I’ve always been

My eyes don’t see the world as clear anymore
Brain is blurry, memories fading slow
But I always remember how to ignite
When the beat kicks in, in the hum of the night.

I used to dance
Just to be kissed
Under blue lights
Now I dance
To feel free
Yeah I dance for me.


Whiplash (X. Kolac)
	Produced by Isaac Barter
	Recorded by Isaac Barter
	Vocals recorded by Xani Kolac
	Violins and vocals by Xani Kolac
	Drums by Justin Olsson
	Bass and additional programming by Isaac Barter

Whiplash

It’s rare to find an artist so astute in their craft and in step with a genre they can reimagine it convincingly. Xani Kolac achieves this in her new concept album and live show about electronic dance music. So inaccurate, yet so eloquent. It may have actually happened just like that. 

When pandemic restrictions limited our movements and human connection, artist, songwriter, and violinist Xani, explored what it might be like to never dance again. Bleak, isn’t it? Dance has the power to transcend limitations, to take a person beyond the moment through the power of a beat, a rhythm, a movement of ideas. The thought of losing dance inspired XANI to create a world within her own reach where dance lived on and metamorphosised into something bigger than the present.

A huge fan of dance music and the iconic philosophical spirit of the dance floor, Xani dove deeper into the nuances of the culture, exploring the roots of electronic dance music (EDM). Where it’s taken her personally and how it’s driven cultures and subcultures throughout its history.

On a quest to depict the in-actual history of her beloved dance music in her very own way, Xani has reimagined the past and future of gritty dancefloors under lasers, through smoke, and in the subtle command of the music. 

An Inaccurate History of Electronic Music is Xani’s version of that place. A story transcribed through violin, vocals, loops, frantic, primal energy and raw and organic collaborations.

Xani

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