COVER STORY
HI-LO: AN UNCHARTED TECHNO ALTER EGO
A distinct force has emerged. Bridging worlds and forging beats, seamlessly weaving together
the realms of mainstream and
underground, creating a symphony that transcends boundaries. HI-LO, who we also know as Oliver Heldens, is the maestro behind this sonic revolution, pushing the limits of Techno and EDM with a fervour that’s truly exceptional.
In this uplifting interview with Mixmag, we take a deeper look into the intriguing journey of HI-LO.
Join us and uncover the pivotal moments that shaped this exceptional artist’s musical evolution.
A CATALYST OF CHANGE
At the dawn of HI-LO’s inception, the landscape of electronic music was about to undergo a transformation. The year was 2013, and Oliver, riding the wave of his breakout track ‘Gecko,’ felt a gravitational pull towards the darker, more enigmatic sounds of Techno. Influenced by the likes of Len Faki and a host of Techno luminaries, he delved into a sonic exploration that would birth one of his first HI-LO tracks, ‘Wappy Flirt.’ This was a turning point, a glimpse into the depths of a new musical persona.
“At the end of 2013, right around the release of my breakthrough track ‘Gecko’ as Oliver Heldens, I was already delving into some darker sounds. This was partly influenced by my
roots in Tech-Trance, drawing
inspiration from the likes of 2000s artists such as Sander van Doorn, Ferry Corsten, Tiesto, Marco
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mixmagnl.com V, and Marcel Woods.
Additionally, I was exploring new Techno tracks from artists like Perc, Clouds, Blawan, Len Faki, Randomer, and more.
This
exploration led to the birth of some intriguing ideas and tracks.”
“In January or February of 2014, I had the opportunity to perform at the Sneeuwbal Festival in the Netherlands. After my set, I took the time to listen to the sets of De Sluwe Vos and Benny Rodrigues. Their mixes of Techno, House, and other genres left a lasting impression on me. When I
returned home,
I was driven to create something gritty, dark, and powerful, yet still carried a groovy essence. It was during this period that I produced one of my earliest HI-LO tracks, ‘Wappy Flirt.’”
“At that point, I hadn’t initially planned to launch a new alias. Spinnin’ Records and I were in the process of preparing to release the track ‘Wappy Flirt’ shortly after ‘Gecko,’ under my Oliver Heldens moniker. I was thrilled one of my
early
influences, Sander
van Doorn, heavily supported the track, even featuring it on the Ultra Miami Mainstage. However, during our time together in Miami that week, he candidly shared that although he loved the record, it might have been a tad too dark for his sets at that particular juncture.”
“Meanwhile, ‘Gecko’ was skyrocketing to crossover/mainstream success. It became evident to me that releasing a track as intense and dark as ‘Wappy Flirt’ immediately after
perplexing for
we decided to set ‘Wappy for
the time being and shift our
‘Gecko’ might have been a bit the audience. As a result, Flirt’ aside focus
towards the more housey, funky, and melodic tracks I had been diligently working on.”
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