The Mix 116: Marsolo

Modern day dance music moves in a very different way to how it used to. Clips of DJ sets are shared via phones, feeds and group chats until a track can feel familiar before it’s even released. Marsolo experienced the phenomenon first-hand with his 2025 release ‘Step by Step’, a record that had a full room singing the lyrics back to him the very first time he played it in the UK. 

What began as bedroom production sessions for the Dutch artist have now become packed clubs and festivals. Commanding these stages gives him the opportunity to share his music with ravers all over the world, as sell-out crowds gather to hear his distinctive synths and hard-hitting basslines.

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As well as ‘Step by Step’, released via Three Six Zero Recordings, that rise has been driven by records such as ‘Spaceship’ on Positiva and ‘Synthesis’ on You&Me. These tracks catapulted the 25-year-old onto the international mainstage. Most recently, he returned to TSZR with his new EP ‘Run’. This project showcases his versatility across three distinct tracks, balancing vocal hooks, house grooves and deeper textures, with the title-track including vocalist O.MMY. 

Alongside his big releases and primetime bookings, Marsolo has also ticked off some high-profile mixes over the past six months, including Circoloco Radio, and BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix. His latest stop is The Mix, where he delivers 60 minutes of house grooves, featuring the records currently shaping his sets.  

Away from the airports and festival stages, Utrecht remains where Marsolo slows things down, and he has found a good balance between touring, studio time and downtime. “Even on the road you can make music… I aim to finish one track a week.” 

His hometown is where the interview begins…

You’re from Utrecht. What was the music scene like for you growing up there?

To be fair, it was not that special in Utrecht. There were some things going on at Club BASIS, which is one of the only proper clubs for house and techno music we have here. But for the rest, for me, it all happened in Amsterdam. That is quite convenient because it is only half an hour away.

There are some festivals here, like Soenda, which is more techno but also has house music going on. But the club scene in Utrecht at this moment is not really popping off. I used to rely on Amsterdam.

I am also glad it does not really happen in Utrecht, because now I can step away from it. When I am home, there are no clubs or events around me, so I can take a step back from the music scene. That is what I really enjoy about Utrecht.

Was there a moment where you realised you wanted to be involved in dance music?

When I started producing on GarageBand, I was making every type of electronic music I could possibly think of. I did not really know what to focus on.

When I was 18, I went to my first festivals in the Netherlands. I went to Thuishaven a lot, and before going there, I had heard that type of music and thought, “Yeah, not really for me.” But someone convinced me to go with them, and when I went there a completely new world opened up for me. That is when I realised I wanted to make house music and stay within that lane, then explore from there.

You started as a producer before becoming a DJ, which is the opposite route to a lot of people. How did that shape you?

I think both make you better. Producing makes you a better DJ, and DJing makes you a better producer. I do not think there is one right way to do it. Everyone has their own way

I started producing because I just liked making music, and I was too young to even go to clubs. In the end, it does not really matter where you start. Producing makes you more technical about the music you are playing out. 

Read this next: The Mix 115: Loukeman

The first time a lot of people came across you was through ‘Step by Step’. Did you realise how big of a track you had made?

To be honest, it was a really simple track. I made it in just a few hours, and I did not think much of it. It was just a bassline, a kick, some drums and a vocal, nothing more than that.

But when I played it at The Loft [in Manchester] for the first time, for some reason everyone chanted along. It was B2B with Kolter, and it was the first time anyone had chanted along with my music. That is when I realised, “Okay, maybe I am onto something now.”

At the time of producing the track, I did not feel like I had made a hit or anything. It was just another track. You never know which tracks are going to be big and which tracks are not.

Once that record started to grow, was it exciting, scary, or a bit of both?

A bit of both, probably. I had never had so many people listening to my music and recognising my music before. It is a surreal feeling that so many people know your tracks. It is really exciting, but at the same time it is scary because you never know where it is going to go next.

Did you feel pressure afterwards to follow ‘Step by Step’ up with another big record?

I think subconsciously you always feel pressure to follow up your previous big release with the next one. But at the same time, that can really limit your creativity. If you put a lot of pressure on yourself and think, “I have to make a banger right now,” then nothing is going to come out.

That has been the biggest challenge I have struggled with over the last few years. But I am starting to manage it, look at the bigger picture and realise that not every release has to be big. You can have a few months with smaller releases, and then maybe next year comes the big release again. It goes with ups and downs, and as an artist you have to accept that.

Your new EP ‘Run’ shows a lot of variety in your production. How did you approach the project?

I did not really produce the EP as a final product. I just finished the three tracks individually and did not even know they were going to end up on an EP together.

Then I wanted to release ‘Run’ because people really started to like it, and I started to like it as well, especially with the new vocal on it. My latest release before that was ‘Spaceship’, which was a single, and I felt like it was time for a new EP. I was sitting on a lot of new music and had not released anything for about seven months, so it felt like the right time to include more tracks than just one single. I think the tracks fit together pretty well.

On the title-track ‘Run’, did you work with a vocalist in the studio?

Yeah, with O.MMY, we went into the studio in London and finished the vocal in maybe six hours. We had many more ideas than the final one. We did a lot of brainstorming and had about six ideas for the vocal, and this was the one we ended up with.

I wanted to challenge myself more as an artist. I did not want to stick only to the way I had made music for years already. I wanted to try new things and get new perspectives on music, rather than just my own thoughts. I wanted to take in the perspective of a vocalist too.

How did you approach your Mixmag mix?

This mix is filled with a lot of unreleased music, both from myself and from other artists. I wanted to keep the energy building naturally from start to finish, without rushing the journey. The overall sound stays deep and driving throughout, with plenty of tracks that I’ve been road-testing over the past months. Expect a mix that’s all about atmosphere and progression.

‘Run’ is out now via TSZR, check it it here

Chris Cahillane is a freelance music journalist, follow him on Instagram

Tracklist:
1. ID - ID
2. Liquid Earth - Artifact Of Blue
3. ID - ID
4. Burnski & Kepler - Apollo
5. ID - ID
6. Kevin Toro & TO11 - The Sky
7. ID - ID
8. Eden Burns - Big Bark Manifesto
9. Marsolo - Inside My Mind
10. Tommy VCT - Transition (Extended Mix)
11. Alex Dyer - Let Ya Body Free
12. Marsolo - Run (feat. O.MMY)
13. ID - ID
14. Hidde van Wee - HTQ