Max HeyraudThis week’s Mix of the Week comes from Belfast’s Sophie, delivering a bass-heavy, screwface blend of techno and breaks for London’s Subtle Radio.
Sophie is a rising talent on the Irish club circuit, but she’s already building an impressive résumé. With a monthly slot on Hackney-based Subtle Radio and her own party series, Social Sounds, which has hosted names like Deetron, Tasha, Stenny, Riz La Teef, and more, Sophie is making her presence felt. Her sharp selections and deep affinity for the percussive, bass-loaded end of the UK techno spectrum reflect the calibre of artists she surrounds herself with.
Her latest mix is a deep dive into the low-slung, bass-mutated corners of the techno canon. It explores the gritty contours of the Birmingham-to-Bristol sound continuum, bridging raw, industrial techno with slippery, bass-heavy rollers that have long defined Bristol’s sound. The result feels adjacent to the Illian Tape sound: a meeting point between tradition and futurism, where Shaw skillfully navigates both worlds without choosing sides.
On Instagram, she described the mix as “Very unplanned & very chaotic but still somehow happy with how it turned out.” That chaos is part of its charm, channelling a frenzied energy that embraces unpredictability. Yet, beneath the surface, there’s structure and control. Much like Skee Mask, Sophie builds momentum with rolling, percussive, swing-heavy cuts that ooze swagger and finesse. There are no gimmicks here, just a proper DJ, spinning proper tunes exactly how they should be heard.