Jan Krueger

Jan Krueger is one half of the legendary label Hello?Repeat together with Daze Maxim. Writing about him is always a pleasure because Jan Krueger just for existing artistically already challenges a cliché created in more modern times in the so called 'electronic music industry', that, a DJ has to be a producer to achieve success. You see, he is the living proof that if you love what you do, have absolute respect for your music and on top of it all, possesses one of the most precise mixing techniques ever seen, that yes, you can be 'just' a DJ and trust me, he can. Only just going back into production now, Krueger sustains a beautiful Djing career without actively releasing music himself but proves to be an excellent A&R for Hello?Repeat alongside Daze Maxim.

All that said however, it does not mean production isn't entirely part of Jan's career, not because is what the industry asks of him but because it feels right. After meeting young and promising producer Daze Maxim in the 90s they started some excursions in Maxim's backroom studio to produce deep and minimal house tracks which were released on Mathias Tanzmann's Moon Harbour Recordings in 2001.
Born in Dusseldorf, currently living in Berlin with a stop in Hamburg, Jan's life dedication to music has left a mark not only in each of those cities but worldwide. Starting his career in '96 in Dusseldorf, warming up for some of his heroes in an abandoned wine cellar has led him to work for a record store then focusing on hosting parties starring international guests like Daniel Bell, Matthew Herbert, Ata and Steve Bug to name a few.
As a consequence of working in a record shop Jan established close relationships with distribution companies, more precisely with Word & Sound in Hamburg. Such relationship took Jan to Hamburg where he became a Sales Manager at Word & Sound. At this point Hello?Repeat is born as a music platform for him and Daze Maxim in 2005.

Next stop is Berlin, Jan has now been there for the past 4 years. He is part of a peculiar and well respected group of artists who contribute to keeping Berlin's reputation of the underground electronic music capital of the world.
Such experience and dedication has granted Jan to have countless international gigs, from Europe to Japan to South or North America, you name it. Playing at places such as Panorama Bar, Fabric, Bunker in NYC, festivals and Jan's current residencies include the 'Member's Only' party Toi Toi Musik in London.. Equally, his podcasts and numerous sets are so popular that the title of best podcast of 2011 for Clubberia in Japan belongs to him.
2012 holds a pleasant surprise. Jan Krueger is going back into the studio, watch this space, work in progress. Eyes and ears of the industry wait anxiously.

Words by Isis