When it comes to that delicate balance between sincere and playful eclecticism, few DJs come close to Glasgow's legendary duo Optimo, JG Wilkes and JD Twitch. Since their famed Sunday nights at Glasgow's Sub Club came to a close in 2010 they've been touring the world with fervour, releasing friends and newcomers alike on their label Optimo Music, and Twitch's Autonomous Africa imprint has been bringing new afrobeat-influenced house from Auntie Flo and Midland to the world—whilst raising money for charity in the process, too. Now, their workload just got even more interesting.Optimo have been commissioned to produce a dedicated mix for the launch event of the 14th International Architecture Biennale in Venice, in partnership with The Vinyl Factory, 180 The Strand and the British Council. Briefed to create the soundtrack for the theme of A Clockwork Jerusalem—"an exploration of the unique and contradictory history of British Modernism." Their selection is, as ever, a thrilling journey through the wild and wonderful.In their own words, the theme "Conjured up fresh, new concrete and green spaces," and "That almost utopian idea of what new towns would be and achieve but as is so often the case turned out to be a very false utopia… a lot of them sprang to mind fairly quickly when thinking about new towns, and a lot of them came about from a brainstorming session where we tried to think as laterally as possible. Luckily, a lot of the music we love was relevant to the subject, so we didn't have to go too far from our comfort zone… as one track was thought of, it would often lead to another coming to mind."You can stream the mix in full below.Einsturzende Neubauten – Armenia (loop)What's it called? Cumbernauld!Duran Duran – Planet EarthSteel Pulse – Handsworth RevolutionMark Stewart – JerusalemLinton Kwesi Johnson – Inglan Is A BitchThe Fall – Hit The NorthFad Gadget – Back To NatureAnne Clark – Sleeper In MetropolisJohn Foxx – UnderpassKilling Joke – ChangeSabres Of Paradise – SmokebelchBronski Beat – Smalltown BoyWendy Carlos – William Tell OvertureThe South Wales Striking Miners Choir – Take Me Home
Advertisement
Full tracklist:Wendy Carlos – Title music from A Clockwork OrangeThe Slits – New TownCarsten Jost & Katze – In Every Dream Home A Heartache (loop)Hawkwind – High RiseJohn Cooper Clarke – Evidently ChickentownELP – JerusalemXTC – Like A New Town Animal In a Furnished CageJoy Division – AtmosphereEdward Elgar – Pomp and Circumstance
Advertisement