From a Lyon Underground to the Studio: How Hanna Haïs Turned One Night into “Trip to Olma”
A studio session shaped by club memory connects minimal house and afro tech in Donkela Music
What happens when a fleeting night in an underground club becomes the structural core of a record? In “Trip to Olma”, Hanna Haïs translates a recent set in Lyon into a tightly constructed club track built around instinct, restraint and a single defining sound.
Released on 13 February 2026 via Donkela Music, “Trip to Olma” draws its title from Olma, a small underground club in Lyon where the artist performed a few months prior to producing the track. Rather than framing the reference as nostalgia, Haïs uses it as a conceptual anchor, positioning the release within the physical and emotional architecture of the club environment.
The setting functions less as storyline and more as atmosphere. By grounding the track in a specific space, Haïs situates the listener within a late-night context shaped by proximity, low ceilings and direct crowd feedback. The memory of that dancefloor informs both pacing and tonal direction.
In her own words, the mood of the track is defined as “Dark energy”, signalling a controlled intensity rather than overt dramatic build. The arrangement privileges groove and flow, allowing subtle shifts in texture to guide momentum.
The production process was concise and deliberate. Hanna Haïs explains:
“I did this track during an afternoon. Once I found the main synth sound and melody which took the longest, I just needed to add the strings, bass, high hats, claps, kick and various percussion.”
The statement outlines a workflow centred on one primary melodic element, from which the remainder of the structure unfolded.
She summarises the sonic direction succinctly: “Minimal house meets afro tech.” The main keyboard sound operates as the track’s focal point, while percussive layers and basslines provide rhythmic propulsion without overcrowding the mix. Haïs notes that the composition emerged naturally, without conscious reference to a particular artist or track, reinforcing a production approach guided by intuition rather than external benchmarking.
“Trip to Olma” reflects a methodology that links lived club experience with streamlined studio execution. By transforming a recent performance into a compositional framework, Hanna Haïs consolidates her positioning between minimal house structure and afro tech rhythm, maintaining a focus on dancefloor functionality.
The track is available on digital platforms people can have more information about Hanna Haïs and Donkela Music on Instagram.
