HI-LO Reimagines ‘Koala’ With a Dark Techno Twist

Over a decade after Oliver Heldens shook the global dance scene with his breakout hit “Koala”, he’s back under his darker alias HI-LO to give the classic a brand-new life. The 2025 reboot, released on his HILOMATIK imprint and simply titled “KOALA”, is no playful house anthem — it’s a heavy, hypnotic techno weapon built for the underground.

Where the original thrived on funky house bounce, this new version is rawer, grittier, and tailored for peak-hour mayhem. HI-LO keeps the track’s iconic melodic hook alive but buries it under thundering low-end, brooding synth builds, and industrial techno grooves. The result? A track that hits like a freight train on both massive mainstages and warehouse floors.

 

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Uma publicação compartilhada por Oliver Heldens (@oliverheldens)

“The original Koala holds a special place in my journey,” Heldens explains. “So flipping it into something rawer and more HI-LO just made sense. It’s been going off in my sets – the response has been insane.” And judging by the crowd reactions during his recent tour stops, he’s not exaggerating.

This release caps off a huge year for HI-LO, who’s been stacking collabs with ZHU, Sarah de Warren, Temper, KASABLANCA, and even MotoGP champ Tai Woffinden. With “KOALA”, the HILOMATIK boss proves once again that he can merge nostalgia with forward-thinking techno, turning a festival classic into a darker beast for 2025.

 

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Uma publicação compartilhada por HI-LO (@hilo_ofc)

If you lived through the OG version, this is the flashback you didn’t know you needed. If you’re just discovering it, consider this your invitation to HI-LO’s shadowy side.

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