Optimo (Espacio)

Optimo (Espacio) was founded by JD Twitch and JG Wilkes, whose partnership, forged over 28 years, has earned them global acclaim for their memorable and ecstatic DJ sets. Celebrated for their unique disregard for genre conventions and musical restrictions, Optimo ventures into territories far beyond the accepted limits of club music.

The duo launched the weekly Glasgow party “Optimo (Espacio)” in November 1997, which ran until April 2010. Held at the Sub Club, the party quickly became the epicenter of the Scottish clubbing consciousness and is widely regarded as one of the most important and ground-breaking club nights of the past two decades – at one point earning them the prestigious title of Mixmag’s “Club of the Year”.

Optimo first gained international recognition with the release of “How to Kill the DJ (Part 2)” in 2004. This critically acclaimed mix catapulted them onto the global touring circuit. In the following years, they brought the Optimo party aesthetic to over 50 countries across Europe, North and South America, Africa, Australia, and Asia.

Subsequent mix releases underscored their maverick spirit, raising the bar for what a DJ mix can be and what musical elements it can contain. These releases include “Psyche Out” (Eskimo Recordings), “20 Years Underground” (Soma), “Walkabout” (Endless Flight), “In Order to Edit” (R&S), and “Sleepwalk” (Domino Recordings), culminating in the tour-de-force “Fabric 52 – Optimo (Espacio)” for the Fabric series.

Their mixes and live DJ sets have cemented Optimo’s reputation as tastemakers, driven by a passion for unearthing music from both the past and present to craft club and festival experiences that are futuristic in spirit.

Optimo (now JG Wilkes) continues to tour extensively across Europe, the UK, North and South America, and beyond. They currently hold residencies at Phonox in London, Nitsa (Apolo) in Barcelona, and Berkeley Suite in Glasgow. Their sound can also be experienced monthly on the respected online radio station NTS Live, providing a topical and up-to-the-minute glimpse into the head-messing Optimo universe. In 2022, they launched Watching Trees Festival with their allies at Ransom Note, earning a nomination from DJ Magazine as one of the best boutique festivals of the year.

Optimo (Espacio) remain deeply engaged with their local Glasgow community, raising awareness and funds for food banks, refugee support, and anti-racist initiatives. To date, they have raised over a quarter of a million pounds for organizations in Glasgow and beyond.

The final, essential ingredient in Optimo’s success is the people. Each set is shaped by the energy and dynamics of a unique crowd – whether in a tiny basement sweatbox, the main room of a superclub, a festival stage, or a field of a thousand. Everything emerges from the spirit of the gathering and the rhythm of the moment. It is the enthusiasm of each audience, wherever they go, that fuels the joy and creativity of Optimo. “We Love Your Ears!”