Safiye: The ‘Shine A Light On’ Mix

Years spent on dancefloors across the globe and through a bi-weekly show on SWU.FM have sharpened her instinct for the room, one that’s taken her from Bristol’s underground to the fields of Glastonbury and to the aforementioned Love International – last few tix left for that those at the back. Since 2024, she has been part of Bristol’s disco powerhouse Paradisco, a permanent fixture on dancefloors in the city and beyond.

As she puts it herself, it’s not just showing up to a gig and pressing play – the coordination, the planning, the endless behind-the-scenes effort that nobody really sees. That’s the work. And she does it with the same ease she brings to everything else.

The through line in all of it is a sound that’s slippery by design. House, electro, disco and acid all chosen carefully, sequenced with intention.

Let’s have a chat and get it on, shall we?

Who are you?
My name is Safiye. The rest I am still figuring out.

Where are you right now and how did you end up there?
Right now this second? I am sitting on the sofa in Tash’s auntie’s bungalow in Bruton. About to chef up some stunning fresh food from the local farm shop and crack open the bubbly. Last wholesome weekend for god knows how long.

Monday morning – are you genuinely excited about your week, or just pretending?
Oh hell yes, I love Mondays. Monday is the new Sunday. Although I must admit that Monday magic does begin to tarnish as we enter chaos season (now).

Talk us through this mix. Where was your head at when you made it?
The initial idea was to pull from my extensive sexy house collection and put together a continuous slow and steady mix to activate the pheromones. I would say there are elements of that in the final product, however during sessions of prep I was finding that a few tracks club ready were creeping into the playlist. There’s a healthy dose of acid in there too. I feel the mix reflects my current state of mind quite well… Flirty, sassy, mercurial.

Where should someone be when they listen to this? And what should they definitely not be doing?
I’m thinking low lighting, a mischievous excitement in the air, negroni in hand. Maybe you’re heading out to the club later. Maybe you’re feeling naughty at the afters. Don’t listen to it in a hurry before heading into the office. This mix is intentionally unrushed.

If this mix were a meal, what would we be eating?
My favourite meal, which is snacks. Cherries. Black truffle crisps. Nocerella olives and manchego. The sexy food variety.

What’s the first record that made you feel something you couldn’t quite explain?
Love Shack – The B52s. That song made me want to MOVE.

First record you bought with your own money versus the last one – what does that say about you?
First – Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life
Last – Norma Jean Bell – I’m The Baddest Bitch (The Moodymann Mixes)
Totally different vibes. I guess it speaks to my musical taste’s evolution into dance music…

What record do you own that you love but have absolutely no idea what to do with?
Bogdan Irkük – The Distant EP. Bought it at Sound Metaphors a couple of years back. It’s a sort of electro/disco/breakbeat/indie dance meshing, but hasn’t had an outing just yet…

What’s something you’ve been listening to recently that has nothing to do with dance music but is bleeding into your sets anyway?
Annette Peacock – her music feels like a slow seduction. Intimate, unpredictable. I try to work that versatility into my sets, tease a vibe switch then slide straight back into the groove. Slippery and delicious.

Does being “part of something” even interest you?
I mean, yeah? My life is almost entirely made up of somethings. Love International. Paradisco. A dedicated Urchin group chat. My answer is yes.

Has Bristol changed over the last decade? If so, has that affected how you play music and put on parties in the city?
Every city changes and that rings true for Bristol also. It’s more polished than it used to be, a few too many brunch spots popping up instead of grassroots music venues. But the soul of the city and the love for music is still very much alive and kicking. I would love to see more variety and unpredictability in club nights though, that feeling of not quite knowing what you’re going to hear when you walk through the door. That element of surprise is something I try to bring to my sets, and it’s definitely front of mind when we’re booking artists for Paradisco.

Walk us through a typical day when you’re not thinking about music at all.
These are pretty rare to be honest… Every so often I’ll let myself have a full on bed day, no work, no music, no phone. Just me and a load of snacks, binge watching a series. That’s the day.

What job did you think you’d end up doing when you were younger?
There were a few fantasy phases… Fashion designer, stylist, actor. Not to mention the astronaut era.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had and did it teach you anything useful?
Years ago I worked at a call centre and it taught me sweet f all. Lasted two weeks.

Who’s the most interesting person you’ve met in the last year who has nothing to do with music?
I played at a fundraiser last year and got chatting to this chap in the green room. He worked with organizations as a consultant on social change, with a particular focus on supporting Palestine and its people. He had an extensive collection of pronoun related stickers saved on his phone – one of them said “They/them causing may/hem”. He was cool.

You’ve just had a blazing row with your best mate. Do you wait for them to apologise, or do you crack first?
😈

Stranded on a desert island with one person – who are you choosing, and how long before things get weird?
Bob Mortimer and I would hope instantly. Weird is wonderful

If you had a working time machine right now, where (or when) would you go, and what are you hoping to find there?
Medieval times. The fantasy calls to me. Castles, potions, sorcery. Back when magic was still real. What was actually going on in those forests at night??

What’s coming up that you’re actually excited about?
Love International of course! Paradisco are hosting a boat party this year too. Needless to say, we are giddy with excitement.

What’s something you wish more people understood about what you do?
There’s a huge element of balance involved in my life. It’s not just answering emails for Love International or showing up to a gig and pressing play, the various areas of work take up a lot of my time and need consistent effort, planning and coordination. A lot of it happens behind the scenes that nobody really sees.

What question were you hoping we’d ask that we didn’t?
“What’s your skincare routine?” I ask people this a lot.