Optimo (Espacio)’s JD Twitch has died

Optimo (Espacio) member JD Twitch, real name Keith McIvor, has died.

The beloved Glaswegian DJ revealed he had been diagnosed with an “untreatable” brain tumour in July of this year.

His long-time DJ partner JG Wilkes, real name Jonnie Wilkes, shared a tribute today announcing that McIvor sadly passed away yesterday, September 19.

The tribute says: “It’s with immense sadness that I’m writing to tell you Keith passed away peacefully yesterday at 2.06pm at The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow. In a 28 year partnership he changed my life immeasurably and together we took our work in directions and to places few people are lucky enough to explore. I am forever grateful for everything he bestowed on me, both as a partner in music and as a friend. Keith’s intensity and passion for life, for music, for creativity and for positive change simply never let up. He was formidable. His belief in people and the idea that standing together, that our collective strength is powerful was unwavering. I loved him for that.

“My thoughts are with Keith’s family and friends. Thank you to them and the extended group who have tirelessly supported Keith and each other in the last few months. Thank you to the staff at The Hospice who made this last while as good as it possibly could be.

“Keith left us far too soon. He will go now to travel those space-ways but I know his energy remains in every one of us who had the privilege of knowing him. I love you forever Keith.”

JD Twitch got his start in dance music playing at the techno and experimental night Pure in Edinburgh in 1990, initially known simply as Twitch before adding the JD prefix as the decade progressed.

Optimo Espacio, which translates as ‘Optimum Space’, was co-founded by McIvor and Wilkes in 1997 as a Sunday club night taking place at Glasgow’s Sub Club, running every week until late April of 2010. The two resident co-founders also used the club night name for the DJ and production partnership, usually shortened to just Optimo.

Although the weekly nights came to a close in 2010, the pair would go on to still host regular parties in the years since, including a major 20th anniversary celebration in 2017, as well as taking up residencies at clubs such as The Berkeley Suite, launching their Until The Music Stops series, and founding the festival Watching Trees.

As DJs they became heralded for their eclectic tastes and curation, able to span styles such as techno, electro, disco, post-punk, industrial, psych-rock, Afrobeat, pop and more with remarkable dexterity. This range of genres was reflected in their bookings, which included LCD Soundsystem, Franz Ferdinand, Avalon Emerson, Peaches, Ivan Smagghe and Aurora Halal.

Over the years they released on labels such as Soma Quality Recordings, R&S, Domino, Glasgow Underground and Fabric, often helming influential compilation and mix CDs, as well as running their own Optimo Music label and sublabels Optimo Music Digital Danceforce, Optimo Trax, So Low, and Against Fascism Trax.

JD Twitch was also celebrated as a solo artist, releasing on labels like Let’s Get Lost, Juno Records and Heavenly Recordings.

Upon revealing his diagnosis back in July, McIvor said: “I trust Jonnie implicitly to continue Optimo (Espacio). I know he will carry it forward with the same spirit and passion we always shared.”

A number of DJs have shared their own tributes.

Daniel Avery wrote: “He was an all-time great. Together you gave countless people endless hours of joy, excitement and togetherness. That’s not to mention the generations of DJs you inspired. Sending all of the love to you, my friend. You will no doubt continue this legacy x”.

Krystal Klear wrote: “Heartbreaking. One of the greatest of all time. Sending you and his family my deepest condolences.”

See JG Wilkes' tribute post below.