IN CONVERSATION WITH YOUNG MARCO
interview by MARIE-PAULINE CESARI
Numéro Netherlands Digital presents Young Marco, a force in Amsterdam’s music scene, known for blending emotion, storytelling, and spontaneity in his DJ sets and productions. From hosting playful parties that reshaped the city’s club culture to running his label Safe Trip and exploring personal projects like Dead Sound, he continues to push boundaries. In this interview, he reflects on his journey, creative process, and the magic of bringing people together through music.
Let’s start with your career. When did you realize you wanted to make people dance for a living?
It’s hard to pinpoint. I’ve been making music since I was 12, working with old Ataris, Commodores, and early Macs. I also played in bands, but it wasn’t about making people dance. I do remember always being the one to put on music at family gatherings, though it wasn’t intentional. When I moved to Amsterdam, my friends and I started hosting parties because we felt the club scene was too serious at the time. We wanted something fun but still musically solid, mixing genres that usually stayed separate. That’s how I got into DJing—it just made sense since we had the parties anyway.
So DJing came from hosting events, not from producing music?
Exactly. It wasn’t planned, and my early sets didn’t always make people dance—I had to learn on the job. Even now, I don’t think making people dance is my focus. It’s more about telling a story and creating emotions, and dancing is a natural side effect.
Would you say you prefer producing or DJing?
I love both. The pandemic showed me how much I missed DJing when I was only producing. Making music is introspective and solitary, while DJing is immediate—you see people’s reactions right away. Now I balance the two: I’m in the studio Monday to Thursday, and I’m on the road from Friday to Sunday. DJing gives me an adrenaline rush that complements the calm of producing. Together, they keep me sane.
And how does Amsterdam, as a city, influence your music? I saw videos of you visiting record shops. Is the city important for your inspiration and work?
Yeah, for sure. Almost all my formative experiences that shaped how I do what I do are tied to Amsterdam. From working with the Rush Hour label to spending time at Red Light Records—my studio was above the shop, and Red Light Radio was part of that whole complex. Amsterdam’s size is also a huge factor. It’s small enough that scenes aren’t too isolated. There’s this cross-contamination, where people from different backgrounds and styles naturally mix. I feels like one big neighborhood where you quickly get to know everyone, which creates a very healthy, tight-knit scene.
I got a similar sense when visiting places like De School. The first time I saw you play was during its closing weekend. Has a club like that influenced you?
Absolutely. Not just De School, but also its predecessors like Club 11 and Trouw. When I moved to Amsterdam, my first studio was on the sixth floor of the building where Club 11 was on eleventh. We’d design flyers and visuals for them, and I even had some of my first gigs there. Later, I became a resident at Trouw and De School. Each of these clubs had their own vibe but shared a magic during their peak. They didn’t always have smooth runs, but for a year or so, everything would click perfectly for that moment in Amsterdam. To this day, Trouw remains one of the best clubs I’ve ever experienced.
Let’s talk about your label, Safe Trip. You founded it in 2015—what’s your vision behind it? How do you choose the artists you work with?
Wow, it’s almost 10 years old now! I started Safe Trip to release a remix compilation of my own, but once that was done, I saw potential to support other projects. Drawing from my work compiling archival music at Rush Hour, the label now blends reissues of classics, like early Italian house, with fresh, new releases. Beyond music, Safe Trip explores creative projects like jackets and bandanas—it’s a platform for anything I feel inspired to create. One of the most fulfilling moments was finding Satoshi & Makoto while searching for a synthesizer tutorial online. They were making music with just one synthesizer and hadn’t thought about releasing it. Now, they’re on their third album with us and performing live. Helping artists like them grow is why I love running the label.
What about the parties you’re hosting, like the Self-Grill Party during ADE?
Ah, the parties! Well, ADE is always an exciting time, but living in Amsterdam, it can feel a bit overwhelming with so much happening at once. Every record label seems to throw an event, so I wanted to do something a little different. Historically, many ADE parties revolve around badge granting access, but ours took a more playful approach. Instead of relying on the usual formats, we created something a bit more offbeat and spontaneous. We also like to switch up the location to keep it fresh and unexpected—an experience that’s a little outside the usual ADE buzz.
That’s definitely a playful take on the usual format! I can sense that same energy in you graphics—it feels like you don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s refreshing, and honestly, I loved the unpredictability of the pizza place-turned-party vibe.
Funny thing is, I’ve never actually had pizza there! But yes, I love parties where you don’t know what’s coming next. During ADE, you often know exactly what you’re signing up for, and I prefer to inject some unpredictability and playfulness into the experience.
That’s evident. Even in your music visuals, I see this strong 90s influence. Are you stil involved in shaping those designs?
Definitely. I guide the creative direction, even though I don’t finalize the designs myself anymore draw inspiration from personal references—like 90s skateboard brands such as Alien Workshop, which had this pseudo-scientific, occult aesthetic. Records labels from the 90s visuals are another big influence. I’ve got an extensive library of references and tend to know instantly what works fo a project.
You clearly bring that same personal touch to your performances. I’ve noticed how connected you are to the crowd, which isn’t always the case with other DJs.
That’s interesting to hear because, honestly, I don’t do it consciously. When I DJ, I’m in a bit of a haze—it’s like a ritual. I’m too immersed in managing the energy flow to think about gestures or appearances. Many DJs these days are very self-conscious about being watched, and that can ripple into the crowd, making everyone self-aware. For me, it’s about creating a sense of togetherness—a shared rhythm that unites everyone in the room.
That definitely comes across. I’ve felt it at your shows, like at Klaproos—there’s this collective joy and connection. It’s not just individuals in their own bubbles but a group sharing a moment.
That’s the ultimate compliment, thank you.
You’ve also just released an album under your new alias, Dead Sound, collaborating with John Moods. Can you tell me more about that?
Sure. Dead Sound is a side project—psychedelic, non-club music. I started it for my own sanity, to explore ideas beyond my usual work. Collaborating with John Moods was amazing. He’s one of the most talented singer-songwriters today. We initially met to see if I could produce some tracks for him, but we ended up writing music together. In just four days, we recorded the entire album, which turned into a deeply personal project, touching on themes like loss, breakups, and even death. The track order is exactly how we recorded it—an organic journey.
That’s incredible. You mentioned needing these side projects for your sanity. Is that what keeps you grounded while defying expectations?
Absolutely. I’ve always got ideas bouncing around, and if I don’t bring them to life, they just linger. I’m not sure what would happen if I kept them bottled up, but it wouldn’t be pretty. Creating is what keeps me balanced.
