The demise of the weekly Optimo Espacio nights brings bright new things from the duo...
TextFlora Yin-Wong
Taking credit for mixing the new Fabric 52 Compilation under their belt, Scottish DJ and promoter duo Optimo (JD Twitch and JG Wilkes) have built up a huge following over the last 12 years at their weekly clubnight in Glasgow. Whilst their record label of the same name releases the likes of Den Haan and Throbbing Gristle, they've booked and endless list of musical talents from every genre of music from the likes of popstress Little Boots, the disco-flavoured Joakim, to BPitch's Modeselektor and Nathan Fake. In preparation for their album launch at Fabric this week, Dazed chat to one half of the enigmatic pair, JD Twitch for some insight as to what's next for the DJ duo...
Dazed Digital: So it was the final Optimo night last week? Why did it stop?
JD Twitch: Yeah it's just the end of the weekly nights, but we're still doing one-off events. Basically we were doing it for 12 and a half years which is a really long time, we're moving onto the different places and have new things we'd like to do.
DD: Was Optimo about disco?
JD Twitch: No, definitely not just disco! We refused to be pigeon-holed, anything goes- electro, funk, or techno. The ethos was music is music.
DD: I saw this quote on Resident Advisor about 'serious DJs' coming up to the booth and getting worked up saying 'you can't do that!' and that you were playing all these crazy things...
JD Twitch: Well it was a Sunday night party, it's the end of weekend... and I'm very serious about music, one of the most serious people about music you'll ever meet but it was just about letting go and having fun.
DD: Your label is continuing after the club nights right, any new signings? And how do you find your artists?
JD Twitch: Yeah we've got something coming out from an Indonesian artist, Space System, which is really interesting because we used to release all Glaswegian artists as there are loads of them.
DD: So is there a big Glasgow music scene? Do you know the guys at Soma?
JD Twitch: Yeah definitely, and everyone knows everyone - yeah the guys from Soma came down last weekend too.
DD: How do you and Wilkes work as a team?
JD Twitch: We complement each other in temperament and we have different styles. What we play doesn't follow a genre or a scene, but crosses over. And we've known each other for such a long time.
DD: Do you see yourself as primarily a DJ or a producer?
JD Twitch: Don't think I've produced enough as yet to call myself a producer really, would really want to though and this is why we've stopped the weekly nights so we have more time to do things like that and work on our music as well. I see myself equally as a promoter as well, so we're in charge of every aspect of the club.
DD: You're playing Fabric next week with dOP etc?
JD Twitch: Yeah we've got a Fabric mix CD coming out! I'm a big fan of the club, and there's not that many decent mix compilation series out there left... but we always have a great time there.
Optimo's Fabric 52 Mix Launch party will see them alongside Terry Francis, DJ T., dOP (LIVE), Seuil playing this Saturday 8th May
Dazed Digital: So it was the final Optimo night last week? Why did it stop?
JD Twitch: Yeah it's just the end of the weekly nights, but we're still doing one-off events. Basically we were doing it for 12 and a half years which is a really long time, we're moving onto the different places and have new things we'd like to do.
DD: Was Optimo about disco?
JD Twitch: No, definitely not just disco! We refused to be pigeon-holed, anything goes- electro, funk, or techno. The ethos was music is music.
DD: I saw this quote on Resident Advisor about 'serious DJs' coming up to the booth and getting worked up saying 'you can't do that!' and that you were playing all these crazy things...
JD Twitch: Well it was a Sunday night party, it's the end of weekend... and I'm very serious about music, one of the most serious people about music you'll ever meet but it was just about letting go and having fun.
DD: Your label is continuing after the club nights right, any new signings? And how do you find your artists?
JD Twitch: Yeah we've got something coming out from an Indonesian artist, Space System, which is really interesting because we used to release all Glaswegian artists as there are loads of them.
DD: So is there a big Glasgow music scene? Do you know the guys at Soma?
JD Twitch: Yeah definitely, and everyone knows everyone - yeah the guys from Soma came down last weekend too.
DD: How do you and Wilkes work as a team?
JD Twitch: We complement each other in temperament and we have different styles. What we play doesn't follow a genre or a scene, but crosses over. And we've known each other for such a long time.
DD: Do you see yourself as primarily a DJ or a producer?
JD Twitch: Don't think I've produced enough as yet to call myself a producer really, would really want to though and this is why we've stopped the weekly nights so we have more time to do things like that and work on our music as well. I see myself equally as a promoter as well, so we're in charge of every aspect of the club.
DD: You're playing Fabric next week with dOP etc?
JD Twitch: Yeah we've got a Fabric mix CD coming out! I'm a big fan of the club, and there's not that many decent mix compilation series out there left... but we always have a great time there.
Optimo's Fabric 52 Mix Launch party will see them alongside Terry Francis, DJ T., dOP (LIVE), Seuil playing this Saturday 8th May
