World of Echo to Sell JD Twitch’s Vast Record Collection in Tribute to Optimo DJ
The London independent record shop will host the first instalment of the ‘World of JD Twitch’ collection from 14 November, with 7,000–8,000 records available to buy and memorial fanzines raising money for glioblastoma research.
World of Echo has announced plans to sell the extensive record collection of the late Keith McIvor, better known as JD Twitch, one half of the influential Scottish DJ duo Optimo (Espacio). The first instalment of the collection will be available exclusively in-store at the independent record shop on Cheshire Street, London, from Saturday 14 November.
Named the ‘World of JD Twitch’ collection, the sale will bring thousands of records amassed over a lifetime of passionate collecting into the hands of DJs, collectors and music lovers. The first instalment comprises approximately 7,000–8,000 records, with a second part scheduled to follow in 2027.
McIvor died in September 2025 from glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain tumour. His collection reflects decades of musical exploration, spanning genres, countries and eras, and the enduring curiosity that made him a respected figure in underground dance music and beyond.
Each record has been meticulously graded by the World of Echo team and will carry a special ‘World of JD Twitch’ sticker identifying its connection to McIvor. The shop will be dedicated exclusively to the collection from 10am on Saturday 14 November until Thursday 19 November, after which normal shop operations will resume and the remaining records will be incorporated into its regular second-hand section.
A Lifetime of Collecting, Shared With a New Generation
In a statement reflecting on her late husband's collection, Marissa Costello, McIvor’s widow, described how his passion for records began during childhood in Balerno, outside Edinburgh, and continued throughout his life.
When McIvor inherited money following his grandfather’s death, he spent it on records, much to his father's disapproval. Neither could have known that this early enthusiasm would become the foundation of a remarkable life and career in music.
His collection grew alongside his work as a DJ, with some records carefully preserved and others bearing the marks of years spent travelling in DJ bags and being played in clubs around the world.
“His collection wasn't simply an archive or a DJ's working library; it was the physical record of a lifetime spent listening, searching, learning, sharing and connecting people through music,” Costello explained.
McIvor was renowned for his broad musical knowledge and restless curiosity, continuing to seek out records wherever he travelled. From obscure discoveries to long-loved favourites, his interests crossed conventional genre boundaries, reflecting the eclectic approach that helped define Optimo's celebrated sets.
Following his death, Costello and Jonnie, a member of the family involved in decisions about the collection, spent considerable time considering its future. They ultimately decided that the records should continue to be played, discovered and enjoyed rather than remain untouched in a private archive.
Supporting independent record shops was central to that decision. McIvor made a point of visiting and buying from independent stores wherever he went, supporting shops, labels and artists directly.
Costello said the family were delighted that Stephen, Natalie and the team at World of Echo had purchased the collection and would share it with the same care and enthusiasm that McIvor brought to collecting.
A Fitting Home at World of Echo
The collection's arrival at World of Echo carries additional significance through the shop's connection to Arthur Russell's World of Echo, an album by an artist McIvor greatly admired.
Russell's experimental approach, emotional sensitivity and resistance to genre boundaries reflected many of the qualities McIvor valued in music. The shop's name therefore offers a particularly fitting connection between the records and the musical philosophy that shaped his life.
By making the collection available to the public, his family hopes to preserve that spirit of discovery and community while allowing the records to find new homes.
“Keith's collection could never remain intact forever in quite the way it existed around him,” Costello said. “For us, allowing these records to go back out into the world — to DJs, collectors and music lovers, where they can be played, discovered, shared and loved all over again — feels much more like Keith than allowing them to sit untouched in an archive, which was never what he was about.”
She summed up his philosophy with a simple message: “Keep it Keith. Connect with your community, support those who need it, be kind, support your local record shop, support outsider artists, and keep it weird.”
Memorial Fanzines to Raise Funds for Brain Tumour Research
Alongside the record sale, a limited number of memorial fanzines celebrating McIvor's life, music and community will be available in person at World of Echo.
Created by friends and family, the fanzines will not be sold commercially. Instead, they will be offered in return for donations to the Keith McIvor Glioblastoma Research Fund, established in his memory to support research into glioblastoma in Scotland.
The initiative brings together two causes close to McIvor's legacy: supporting independent record shops and helping fund research into the disease that took his life.
Costello said: “It feels particularly fitting that something made in Keith's memory can help raise money for brain tumour research while also bringing people through the doors of the independent record shops he believed so strongly in supporting.”
The fund aims to support research and improve outcomes for people diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive and currently incurable brain tumour.
For those who knew McIvor through Optimo, his DJ sets, his record collecting or the wider music community, the sale offers an opportunity to connect with his legacy in a tangible way. Each record carries a history of listening and discovery, with the collection set to continue its journey through the people who take it home.
The first instalment of the World of JD Twitch collection opens at World of Echo, Cheshire Street, London, at 10am on Saturday 14 November. The second instalment is expected in 2027, with further details to be announced.
World of Echo: London, UK
Collection sale begins: Saturday 14 November, 10am
First instalment: Approximately 7,000–8,000 records
Memorial fanzines: Available in-store in return for a donation to the Keith McIvor Glioblastoma Research Fund
Donate to the Keith McIvor Glioblastoma Research Fund: Support glioblastoma research
Credit Marissa Costello