TuneLab
OPTIMO
Mixmag Lab London
An Optimo set is always a glorious wildcard, a reminder that the best DJs are curators of weird and wonderful feelings, not just BPMs. This Mixmag Lab London transmission is a psychedelic trip through leftfield electronics, perfect for those moments when you want the party to get decidedly brainy. The vibe is art school cacophony meets cosmic disco—expect kaleidoscopic visuals and at least one person nodding thoughtfully in the corner. Eschewing a single genre, it travels from 94 to 125 BPM, but feels cohesive through its adventurous spirit and the recurring tonal anchor of 12A.
The energy is, again, low-end heavy (70%), providing a warm, dubby bed for an astonishing array of mid-range textures, from acid lines to alien vocals. The mixing is eclectic and daring, trusting the listener to follow the oddball narrative. The selections are breathtaking. Kid Arkade's 'Iceberg' is a cold, glitching opener.
Patrice Bäumel's 'Serpent' is a monstrous, undulating techno track. The 11-minute Brazilian percussion odyssey of 'Baianá' is a brave and brilliant centrepiece. Tornado Wallace's 'Zorn Gottes' offers kosmische synth exploration, and closing with Haruomi Hosono's 'LAUGH-GAS' is a stroke of absurdist genius. The journey begins in the digital frost of 'Iceberg', peaks with the tribal euphoria of 'Baianá', and floats away on the psychedelic whimsy of Hosono's 2020 remaster.