Naum Gabo

Glasgow-based duo Naum Gabo produce music ranging from raw electro-disco tracks to apocalyptic experimental techno. Consisting of Optimo's Jonnie Wilkes and noted mastering engineer James Savage, the duo began collaborating during the early 2000s, and released some of their first tracks on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Kompakt%22">Kompakt</a>. Numerous singles followed, blending Italo-disco, post-punk, and acid house influences. The 2021 digital compilation Ana One gathered highlights and rarities from the duo's first two decades, and in 2024, Naum Gabo released their dystopian, nearly industrial full-length debut, F. Lux.

Jonnie Wilkes, co-founder of the esteemed Glasgow club weekly Optimo Espacio and its resident DJ duo, Optimo, first met James Savage when he needed to get a record mastered. The two quickly became friends and began working on music together nearly every week, experimenting with both analog synthesizers and software. They named their project Naum Gabo after the Russian kinetic sculptor. Credited as just <a href="spotify:artist:0yQaXkZKbYV57WT8VF5HCH">Naum</a>, the duo released their first tracks in 2003-2004 as part of <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Kompakt+Extra%22">Kompakt Extra</a>'s Speicher series, sharing split singles with <a href="spotify:artist:1kR99O4MgSTasyeJh8UFCg">DJ Koze</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2EwAX9aQZtKjs0EmZ1LrQJ">Joachim Spieth</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3MUGRX9lK18uofPZP8P1Go">Ferenc</a>. The tracks resembled darker, grittier interpretations of the schaffel sound, which was <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Kompakt%22">Kompakt</a>'s signature in its early years. The duo remixed songs by <a href="spotify:artist:1DXylZlWbVvlckNqwvjTEt">Ministry</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0XNa1vTidXlvJ2gHSsRi4A">Franz Ferdinand</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:37uLId6Z5ZXCx19vuruvv5">Hot Chip</a>, and many others. They resumed releasing their own tracks with the 2008 single "Spessivtseva," followed by the slow electro-disco single "Black Lab" in 2009. "Pictur" followed, featuring remixes by <a href="spotify:artist:5af6HkEomDP7dKLugVmMmk">Joakim</a> and Tim Goldsworthy, and the Songs from a Great City 12" was issued by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Optimo+Music%22">Optimo Music</a> in 2011.

Naum Gabo released some of their most club-friendly tracks on labels like <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Let%27s+Play+House%22">Let's Play House</a> and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Correspondant%22">Correspondant</a>, additionally returning to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Kompakt%22">Kompakt</a> in 2013 with a track on Speicher 76. Fyei, a two-song 12" of tracks slowed down from their original speed, was issued by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Magazine%22">Magazine</a> in 2015. "Sleep C'mon" appeared on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Rubadub%22">Rubadub</a> in 2016, and a white label EP was issued by Belters in 2018. In 2021, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Optimo+Music%22">Optimo Music</a> issued Ana One, a digital compilation of Naum Gabo material ranging from unreleased early productions to remastered or reworked versions of tracks from their singles. In 2024, Naum Gabo surfaced on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22DFA%22">DFA</a> with F. Lux, their first proper album, showcasing their music at its darkest and most experimental. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi