A relative newcomer to the Top 100, Marlo Hoogstraten is already a bona-fide member of the international trance fraternity, thanks to his background in the trance underground. This eventually saw him graduating to headliner status at trance stages around the world, signing with Armada Music, and DJing regularly alongside Armin van Buuren.
However, one of his long-running dreams was to launch his own concert-style arena shows in his homeland of Australia, and MaRLo made this a reality in 2016. His Altitude tour launched to considerable success, seeing him touring the country to sellout crowds with a cast of vocalists in tow that included Emma Hewitt and Christina Novelli, plus his own hand-picked warm-up DJ in the form of Ruben De Ronde.
“It was the absolute biggest stand-out of the year for me, an absolute dream come true,” MaRLo tells DJ Mag.
"To have all of the events completely sell out was not only a highlight of the year, but of my entire career. Everything about it, from the amazing guest vocalists, the whole production of it and of course the crowd, it made these events some of the best that I've ever played.” ANGUS PATERSON
What have been the new frontiers for you this year? “Taking the next big step by launching my own concert-style shows Altitude, which feature live vocals, top-notch production and extra-long extended sets.”
Is electronic music taken seriously enough as an art-form? “I think so, yes. It's on the radio, and the clubs, festivals and arenas are all packed. What a time to be alive.”
What’s the best new bit of DJ/production technology, and why? “Rekordbox is a game changer as a DJ, it’s so easy and quick to organise all your music in the one place. From the production side, mainly the fact that computer hardware has got so fast that you can pretty much run unlimited channels and effects without the project crashing.”
If you had to switch your style to another genre, what would it be? “I’d make music for video games, film and TV, but if I was forced to change it up as a DJ then I'd probably play something fun and summery, so I get booked at all the daytime beach clubs. It would be nice to have my nights and mornings back for a while.”
As a fan, what is the top price you would pay to see yourself DJ? “I make and perform music that I love to share with other people... It's too abstract to imagine going to see yourself play.”
What can be done to prevent drug-related deaths at dance music events? “Drug-testing, and a better sense of caring for your fellow partygoer. If you see someone going too hard, offer them water, have a chat to them... be a community, and look out for each other.”
How can we increase diversity in dance music? “I think the scene is super-diverse as it is, but there’s always room for even more diversity! I think the scene is mostly a big, friendly, welcoming community.”
