Drexler’s ‘Olympia-5’: A Heartfelt Album Born From Grief & Hope
- Edinburgh, Scotland – Composer and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Leung, performing as Drexler, is releasing his latest album, Olympia-5, on February 20, 2026.
- Olympia-5 originated as a series of improvised piano recordings sent to Leung’s father while he was hospitalized in Australia.
- The album’s title, Olympia-5, holds particular significance, referencing the clinical trial Leung’s father was scheduled to undergo.
Edinburgh, Scotland – Composer and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Leung, performing as Drexler, is releasing his latest album, Olympia-5, on . The album is a deeply personal work born from a challenging period in Leung’s family life, specifically his father’s relapse with lymphoma.
Olympia-5 originated as a series of improvised piano recordings sent to Leung’s father while he was hospitalized in Australia. Living in Scotland at the time, Leung sought a way to connect with his father and offer support without adding to the stress of his illness. Rather than inquiring about his health, Leung opted to send music, a gesture intended to simply convey his presence and care. “It felt like a gentle way to show love without requiring anything from him in return,” Leung explained, as reported by The Skinny.
The album’s title, Olympia-5, holds particular significance, referencing the clinical trial Leung’s father was scheduled to undergo. This detail underscores the album’s grounding in a very real and difficult experience. The 16 tracks are characterized by their improvisational nature and the integration of ambient electronic textures, elevating Leung’s sound to a cinematic quality reflective of his background in film and composition.
The creation of Olympia-5 also navigates the complex dynamics often present in Asian families, where emotional expression can be reserved. Leung’s music serves as a powerful demonstration of love and care, offering an alternative means of communication where direct articulation of feelings may be less common. As Atwood Magazine notes, the album is “a powerful reminder that there will always be more than one way to show love.”
Beyond the immediate context of his father’s illness, Olympia-5 delves into themes of grief, reckoning and hope. The album is described as a meditation on care in its various forms, drawing on Leung’s personal memories and experiences. Tracks like “Dare You,” “Saturdays,” “Giorgio,” and “Kirrikee” evoke recollections of his childhood, layering experiences and emotions to create a rich and introspective soundscape.
The album also explores the shifting roles within a family facing illness. The track “Prague” represents a turning point, marking the moment Leung realized his father needed care, reversing the traditional parent-child dynamic. This realization is conveyed through a blend of hopeful sadness, mirroring the complexities of the situation.
Further personalizing the album, tracks such as “Model House,” “Brothers,” and “Quarry Bay” reflect on Leung’s father’s life before his illness, specifically his upbringing in Hong Kong. “Quarry Bay,” named after the area where his father grew up, includes a recording of a doctor’s report, adding a stark and poignant layer to the album’s narrative. This inclusion underscores the album’s unflinching honesty and its willingness to confront difficult realities.
Olympia-5 is not simply a musical offering. it is a deeply personal and emotionally resonant work that invites listeners to contemplate themes of family, illness, and the multifaceted nature of love and care. It’s a record that, according to Atwood Magazine, “stops you in its tracks, demanding you to listen deeper and untangle what lies just underneath the surface.”
Drexler will launch the album with a performance at the Pianodrome in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh, on .