Optimistic Soul: The ‘Shine A Light On’ Mix

5 Minute Read

Music

A rising DJ from Glasgow bangs it out with a myriad of styles.

Glasgow has always been a city in which music has flourished, over the past twenty years many musicians and dj’s have emerged from the murky Northern city bringing with them an elegant and eclectic assortment of styles and sounds. In recent years it has been interesting to observe the changing face and landscape of the city from a musical perspective. New faces are challenging the norm and broadening the musical palette of this old place..

One artist who recently caught our attention was Optimistic Soul, a dj who appears regularly on recently launched Glasgow radio station Clyde Built and this summer will make key appearances locally and more widely. One such highlight will be at Riverside Festival.

From a musical perspective his sound can be somewhat hard to place, drawing upon elements of African electronic music and blurring it with sounds from elsewhere. His sets are eclectic and tend to meander wildly between rough and rugged electronic and acid based elements and euphoric, melodic Afro House and beyond.

This one is a real treat and we expect that you will be seeing a lot more of this talented dj in years to come…

Please introduce yourself…

My name is Sibusiso Mpofu aka Optimistic soul , 24 years of age hailing from Zimbabwe but Glasgow based.

Who are you, where are you and what are you?

I’m an African electronic music Dj producer, and at the moment i’m a resident at The Berkeley Suite for my own nights called Africa Is now and a resident for Jaiva Glasgow at Sub Club.

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us?

I like to paint my music as if i’m creating an escape from reality, my music can range from being dark & edgy to being very energetic with hints of melodic and soulful elements in between.

Where was the mix recorded?

This mix was recored in the comfort of my own studio, in my home.

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

A Festival for sure, or in the very peak hours of the night in a club. Preferably with a crowd that’s moved by emotion and rhythm.

What are you most looking forward to about playing together at Riverside Festival?

Im looking forward to showcasing African electronic music to its fullest as this is a great opportunity for me to further edify the sound to a wider audience.

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

I think the opening of a mix/set is very important for me because it sets the tone of the mix and how it’s going to sound like, and i’m sure I managed to do that with the first song.

What were the first and last records you bought?

The first record I ever bought was by GLENN UNDERGROUND – GU ESSENTIALS and the last record I bought was by Black Coffee – SBCNSLY.