When DJ and producer Markus Homm steps behind the decks he has the unmistakable confidence of someone who knows exactly how to galvanise the dancefloor. His crisp, propulsive grooves have one clear mission: to get people to move their bodies.
Markus makes this look easy, in part, because he has probably spent more waking hours on the dancefloor than anywhere else. Born in Romania and raised in Germany, Markus began ballroom dancing at age 12 and went on to become a world-class professional dancer.
His passion for electronic music blossomed as a teenager in the mid-90s. „House music was in the charts, on the radio and TV,“ he recalls. „One of my first nights out to my local club I saw Ultra Naté perform ‚Free‘. I got into that sound, lots of vocals, grooves, very happy positive music.“
As a teenager in the analogue age, Markus would go to the club on Thursday night then to the record shop on Friday to find out what the DJ played. „I would spend an hour choosing one record,“ he recalls. „It was always about the music.“ He bought one turntable, to listen to vinyl; then another, so he could DJ. Now, he plays all over the world, from Berlin and Tokyo, to the USA, Thailand and Australia.
Music was an escape from the rigours of training seven days a week, but Markus approached it with the same dedication. „Discipline within the dancing world helped me in the music world,“ he says. „Instead of partying I would get up on Monday and go to the studio. Dancing at a high level you analyse music and rhythms to find a way your body can show that. In the studio you do the same thing.“
There was never a „master plan“, just passion and the organic evolution of his dancefloor grooves. Since his first official release in 2008, Markus has maintained a steady release schedule on labels including Highgrade, Dynamic, 8bit, Poker Flat, Bondage Music, Saved Records, Bedrock and Still Hot.
His constant mingling of styles and histories creates a unique and exciting sound. Markus’s DJ sets bear the traces of his musical evolution, from the uplifting vibes of classic house to the crisp precision of underground techno. „My life is about dancing, grooves, and music,“ he says. „Great music should get you in the mood, without you even realising it. That’s what I want to do.“
