Quickly becoming an internationally-recognized name in the melodic house circuit, burgeoning producer OCULA returned to Monstercat today with his anticipated EP, ‘On The Run.’
Unearthing a newfound maturity in his artistry, the four-track package sees OCULA transition from his familiar uplifting structures to euphoric vocal-led tracks and moody club cuts.
Leading with breathtaking vocals from South African singer-songwriter Julia Church, the title single is a cathartic journey that embodies the evolution of OCULA’s boundary-pushing sounds with a hypnotic instrumental and a melancholic yet ethereal feel. Capturing his tenacious momentum on the label, the EP features his recent atmospheric hit “Renaissance (feat. Luke Coulson)” alongside the fan-favourite “Try Me” and new track “Waiting.”
OCULA shares, “The main thing I’ve taken away from developing and crafting this EP is that it’s good to push myself a little out of my comfort zone, while still trusting my own abilities to make the end result work. The thought of only creating one style of music for years to come is pretty terrifying, so it’s really refreshing to mix in new sounds, explore different moods, and break the habit of resorting back to the same structure.”
Julia Church adds on the title track, “‘On the Run’ is about someone who is an enigma, hard to love and unattached, but who still exists in every fibre of your being. It’s about saving space for them in case they ever want to find their way home and reconnect. I had a very close friend that this is loosely about, who would always run away and start over in a new place to cope with unresolved pain. I think this song tries to make sense of them while still placing them in a beautiful and warm light.”
OCULA has become a celebrated prodigy in the melodic house realm after breakout releases on This Never Happened, mau5trap, and Anjunabeats. His musicianship has gained support from heavyweights like Armin van Buuren, Le Youth, and Lane 8, who he recently opened for in Glasgow and Belfast this summer.
OCULA is getting ready to embark on his first-ever North American tour in February 2023 with a headline show in Denver followed by support dates for Jerro and more to be announced soon.
‘On The Run’ EP Tracklist
1. On The Run
2. Renaissance
3. Try Me
4. Waiting
