Ophie OG Top Ten
Ophie OG is an independent Artist with influences deeply rooted in DIY culture. From making posters to creating zines, analog and digital collages; to promoting events and playing records, she’s in her prime when in her creative space. Ophie is currently putting together her first proper book 'Piggies', dedicated to the objects and artefacts which populate her life.
In Folkestone, she co-founded the collective YÜTH with Mr. Moor and Dalawax, two local friends and DJs.
YÜTH - ‘In Contemptum Vol.1’ Cassette/ Mixtape out on 21/02
Limited to 10 copies
Launch party at Black Market, Folkestone
@ophie.og
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Depeche Mode - Pimpf (live at Rosebowl Pasadena CA, June 18th 1988)
All of my DJ sets have an intro piece, usually an instrumental or a particular version that will set the tone for the entire thing. The first ever YÜTH event started with this track and looking at our project on the whole, it still makes sense today. For this Top Ten I chose the version from the 101 album because it’s one of the best live albums ever recorded. Pimpf goes straight into ‘Behind the Wheel’ … COME ON. I was born in the summer of ’88 and sometimes would love to think that Dave Gahan was strutting his stuff on stage somewhere, whilst my mother was pushing me out into the misery that is this life.
Nightmoves - Nightdrive
This has massive intro potential too, I usually lodge it between the more guitar-led first part of my set and the electronic/ synth/ EBM happenings of the second part. It sounds like an intermission of sorts, a bit like when you’re out-out and 2am hits…. you think, “shall I stay out or shall I go home??” - but the night has other plans. It takes you in, you’re not going home…. you’re gonna behave super badly and that’s just fine and exciting. I got this track on an amazing comp, ‘Deep Entries: Gay Electronic Excursions 1980-1985’. Comps are my actual perfect DJ partner and a big clutch for me whatever I’m playing. I value this record immensely.
Strawberry Switchblade - Deep Water
The lyrical, ethereal, romantic nature of Strawberry Switchblade is everything our collective loves and is about. Everything looks better in polka dots.
Chain of Flowers - The Wall
I play at least one track from ‘Never Ending Space’ at every set. ‘Old Human Material’ is on ‘In Contemptum’ -YÜTH’s first cassette mixtape too, honestly, I can’t get enough. I’m an old soul and find it hard to enjoy contemporary bands and music sometimes, however I feel like Chain of Flowers nail the genre and get it -just- right. ‘The Wall’ has become a staple in my dark/party anthems collection. A definite go-to.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - The New Stone Age
This has to be one of my favourites. Every time I play it in the bar (where I work) I can see people trying to guess who it’s by, and they always get it wrong. Once they’ve shazamed it (honestly, just ask the bartender guys) and they realise it’s only OMD, they get so confused. I think OMD is one of these bands people judge as one hit wonders or whose discography gets overlooked: I just think people don’t care to look further than “the main hit”. But to me they’re just another legendary band from Merseyside. Their sound was etched in my being the moment I’ve heard it on VH1’s ‘pop up video’. As I’m typing this I think they’re part of the bands I’m most obsessed with.
The Chameleons - Don’t Fall
“I'm out on the edge, but I'm not defeated yet”. Enough said.
Gang of Four - It’s her Factory
I wish I’d heard Gang of Four for the first time in a dingy basement gig somewhere, but I grew up in France in the 90s so like most good people of my generation I sourced it from a skateboard video instead. And like most good people I cherished the very existence of the ‘Entertainment!’ LP and played it to death (duh!) until I found out about their compilation, ’A Brief History of the 20th Century’ and discovered a few more tracks. Two things about this record, visually: it features a Franc, France’s old currency. As an extreme power-nostalgic this speaks to me, first hand. Secondly: the very simple way GANG OF FOUR is written on top of the sleeve, in a simple bold font, in a solid box… well I stole that and used it on the YÜTH poster for our event at the Chambers. Now you know.
‘It’s her factory’ is a perfect track in every way for me so it’s in my Top Ten.
Kim Wilde - Cambodia
When we first started the collective, our broad direction for sound curation was ‘Gothic Rock & Dream Pop’. So obviously I brought Italo Disco to my first set and decided to offer way more range right off the bat. Kim Wilde’s ‘Cambodia’ fits in our realm not because of its genre (new wave? Pop? honestly I don’t know) but because of its SOUL. It’s a sad, tragic love song, it’s a noir, it’s a synthy danse macabre.
Martin Dupont - Inside Out
So I was talking to my husband recently……. I did not know Martin Dupont was a whole band? Not just one guy? And the main guy is not called Martin? he’s called Alain. AND THEY’RE FROM MARSEILLE?? Honestly it doesn’t take much to blow my mind. Soooo Amanda (Dalawax) and I are naturally obsessed with this song. I don’t have it on record though so she has to bring it along to our events and when she plays it, I pretend it’s for me and no one else. Twirling to ‘Inside out’ dressed as a BDSM Piggy is one of my favourite YÜTH memories. I’ll never forget it.
Soft Cell - Martin
We DJ Halloween every year at The Beer Shop in Folkestone (where my leather pig alter-ego was born). Last year, Dave Ball sadly passed away about ten days before our upcoming night. It was a very sad moment for us three as we’re huge Soft Cell fans, on the other hand we were glad to have the opportunity to celebrate him out loud and in good company. ‘Martin’ was an obvious choice, as this title is inspired by Romero’s flick of the same name. I just love the indulgence of playing a 10+ minutes long song to a crowd from start to finish.
RIP Dave, we love you.
