For a DJ, having your tracks played by the haut monde of techno may or may not be an aspiration from day one. Marlo Hoogstraten has seen his tracks like ‘Barracuda’ get airtime in the setlists of none other than Armin van Buuren – a positive addition to what has been a hectic last few months for the Dutch-born Australian producer who was recently named the number two trance DJ and 11th best Australian overall in a poll by inthemix.
“It’s been an amazing six months for me,” he says. “I was lucky enough to spend most of the European summer touring overseas and playing festivals that I’ve wanted to play ever since I started out in the game.”
The recent run of festival appearances he’s referring to is an unbelievably prolific list which includes sets at Tomorrowland, Creamfields and Ultra, to name a few. “Tomorrowland was a personal milestone for me. It was one of those festivals that you want to play from the moment you start out, and to be a part of it was amazing. Pictures and videos of Tomorrowland can’t give you the real experience of actually being there. The level of production that goes into it is unbelievable – even if you didn’t like that style of music you could lose yourself in the architecture alone.”
The shift from playing a small set to mostly stoned teenagers in a sweaty club to performing at festivals is an inherent rite of passage for DJs on their way to the top, but the distinction between the two from the inside looking out reveals that both settings have their merit. “Smaller, more intimate gigs give you a much more personal experience with the crowd,” says Marlo. “You can see people in the crowd vibing on every beat as you work through your set. Festivals provide this amazing energy and the crowds are overwhelming, but it can get to a point where everybody in front of you just becomes a flesh-coloured wave.”
Having been in the game for over a decade, Marlo has noticed one particular way that his audience has changed over time. “Back when I was starting out, people used to ride a track more consistently, [from] its intro through to its outro,” he says. “These days I tend to see that people are more often waiting for the breakdown in a song.”
His sentiments on his audience ring true to the immortal Bobby McFerrin quote on playing the audience like an instrument, and it’s something that carries all the way through to the construction of his sets. “You don’t want to alienate anybody in the audience. You have to create a journey of emotions and experiences in as small a setlist as you can and try your hardest to involve the audience in what you’re doing. Otherwise, there’s no reason for me to be playing to a crowd at all – I may as well be spinning tracks alone in my bedroom.”
For Marlo, spreading the love is the name of the game. His new Visions compilation features more tracks from Australian techno up-and-comers than it does his own. “For me, it’s about fostering the Australian scene. Aussie producers are doing great things overseas at the moment and it all starts from home. I want to help create a scene that keeps on thriving if we go overseas rather than it die out until certain DJs come home.”
It’s a sentiment that is evident through his work ethic, with over 30 appearances at Marquee – including sets in its Las Vegas venue – and perennial attachment to the Stereosonic festival. “The most important thing is creating a platform for all producers and DJs to benefit from, that allows the scene to stay alive at home base,” he says.
Catch him at Stereosonic 2014 alongsideTiësto, Scuba, Duke Dumont, Skrillex, Alesso, Steve Aoki and many more atSydney ShowgroundsfromSaturday November 29 to Sunday November 30, tickets online. Also appearing at Marquee on Saturday November 22, tickets online.Visions out now through Armada.
