RADIO ELECTRONICA
Anniversary Vinyl Sampler
25 years of RADIO ELECTRONICA JENA – anniversary compilation on vinyl featuring local artists.
Twenty-five years ago, a radio show went on air on Offener Kanal Jena that quickly became the heartbeat of the local club culture: RADIO ELECTRONICA. Since 1999, the show has shaped the musical life of the city on the Saale and beyond – as one of the first independent platforms for electronic music in Thuringia.Born out of the passion of four music-loving DJs – Nicola Candelaria, Jan Hobrack (EOISM / Pulse Drift Recordings), Robert Cutter (The Exaltics / Solar One Music) and DJ Mikk (Thrillbeatconstruction Recordings) – RADIO ELECTRONICA became a permanent institution. At a time when formats such as “hr3-Clubnight” and “Rave Satellite” dominated the radio landscape, the founders created their own forum for innovative sounds and creative minds in Jena.
Today, a quarter of a century later, presenters Nicola Candelaria and Martin aka Reiner von Vielen are celebrating this anniversary with a special release: a vinyl compilation limited to 150 copies, featuring exclusively works by local artists.
The following acts are featured on the anniversary compilation: HCHË£, The Exaltics, Ezuri, EOISM, Jan Witte, Amazetrax, Klinke auf Cinch, DJ Légères, Reiner von Vielen & Diskobar, and Dope Styles. Each of them represents their own approach to electronic music – from powerful techno to detailed soundscapes and genre-spanning experiments. Together, they form an impressive panorama of Jena's vibrant music scene. The anniversary compilation makes this diversity audible and at the same time shows what RADIO ELECTRONICA has been all about for a quarter of a century: a stage for creative people, a place of exchange, a bridge between generations and styles.
“Our goal was and still is to give local artists visibility and the opportunity to present their music to a wider audience,” says Nicola Candelaria. “The compilation is an expression of this philosophy – a musical document of the scene that also points to the future.”
The anniversary compilation would not have been possible without the support of the reCoVer Foundation in Jena. The foundation has been promoting cultural diversity, education, and social engagement in the region for many years and has made a decisive contribution to the realization of this project. Its commitment shows how important it is to strongly support local cultural initiatives in order to preserve creative spaces and enable new artistic projects to emerge. The first of two parts of the anniversary vinyl will be released in fall 2025 and is limited to 150 copies—a collector's item for all those who love electronic music and want to support cultural diversity in Jena.
The Sampler
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Vinyl 1/2
01. HCHx - Baoluf
02. Amazetrax - Humility
03. The Exaltics - THR
04. Eoism - Lichtverschmutzung
05. Ezuri feat. Zweileen – Endloses Lied (Less Remix)
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Vinyl 2/2
01. Jan Witte – One Simple Request
02. Reiner Von Vielen & Diskobar - Magik
03. Klinke auf Cinch feat. Jani - Planless
04. Dope Styles - Cuttafxxkaz
05. DJ Légères – Oie u Aie
HCHË£
HCHË£ is a live electronic project from Jena that focuses entirely on analog, energetic electronic music. Their performance profile emphasizes live setups that use synthesizers, drum machines, and other hardware to deliver powerful, danceable sets. They perform regularly in and around Jena and see themselves as part of the local scene, with the aim of making electronic music a direct and raw experience. (www.hchx.de)
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Amazetrax
Amazetrax (born Christian Vogel) from Weimar is one of the veterans of regional electronic dance music. In the early 1990s, he was influenced by listening to HR3 Clubnight every week, which shaped his understanding of styles and DJ culture. His music combines hypnotic structures with atmospheric density and driving rhythms – an approach that takes the listener on a journey and pushes boundaries. With releases on his label Contrax Recording, he demonstrates how classic club music elements of the 90s merge with modern production to create groovy, clear soundscapes. Amazetrax thus stands for a line that combines tradition and innovation. (www.soundcloud.com/amazetrax)
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The Exaltics
The Exaltics is the project of Robert Witschakowski-Jockel from Jena. Since the mid-2000s, he has established himself as a producer, live act, and label founder (SolarOneMusic). His music combines dark electro with acid elements, cinematic sounds, and a penchant for dystopian, futuristic sound aesthetics. He has released on renowned labels such as Clone, Crème Organization, Bunker, and TRUST. On stage, he is known for his intense live performances. (www.the-exaltics.com)
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Eoism
Eoism is a duo consisting of Jan Hobrack & Thomas Fehler, who are active between Jena and Leipzig. Their music is electro-oriented electronic music with influences from acid, breaks, and techno; their live set “Live [funkscapes]” in particular demonstrates their ability to combine raw electro material with structured intensity. The project releases on its own label, Pulse Drift Recordings, among others, and values hardware-based productions and a powerful live presence. (www.pulsedriftrecordings.bandcamp.com)
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Ezuri
Ezuri (born Stefan Leßner), also known as Less, is a German producer and DJ from Thuringia. Since the mid-1990s, he has pursued a strongly vinyl-oriented, “old school” approach to electronic music. As co-founder of the Berlin label VOITAX, he and Paàl were responsible for the early catalog numbers released exclusively on vinyl, such as “1 Equals 2” (VOI-001) and “Eremit” (VOI-003). His sound combines deep industrial and techno with influences from drone, noise, dark ambient, and dub—a mixture that oscillates between melancholy and catharsis. He sharpened this profile with his solo EP “Omnia” (Darkfloor Sound, DRKLR007); further contributions followed, including on Limbic Resonance (“Punkte EP”, 2022) and the Prague collective XYZ project. (www.less4.bandcamp.com)
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Jan Witte
Jan Witte has been an active DJ and producer for over two decades, with roots in house music. Growing up in Weimar, he discovered his passion for radio at an early age and has been hosting the show “The Groove” (formerly “Grooveattack”) since 2001, which is now broadcast on several German stations, including Radio Electronica. He established himself as an integral part of the Weimar underground house scene, playing regularly at clubs such as C.Keller and Gerber 3, and was a resident DJ at the legendary Planbar for many years. In addition to his DJ sets, he produces his own tracks – in 2022, he released an EP on Blur Records featuring remixes by renowned artists such as T. Markakis, Simon Hinter, and ColorJaxx. His sets and radio shows are characterized by attention to detail, soul and funk influences, and a deep rhythmic signature. (www.instagram.com/janwitteonair)
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Reiner von Vielen & Diskobar
Reiner von Vielen, alias Martin Schmieger, has been a fixture on the Jena music scene since the late 1990s. He earned his first spurs with self-recorded DJ mix cassettes before catching the attention of Radio OKJ in 2001 with his distinctive voice and passion for rap, house, and techno. After a break, he returned to radio in 2011 with Herzklopfen Radio and has been part of Radio Electronica since 2016. In addition to his work as a curator and radio producer, he also produces his own tracks, which he releases on his label Blur Records and which add funky, danceable nuances to nu disco. His trademarks are deep digging, surprising sets, and a keen sense for music beyond the obvious.
Diskobar (born Eugen-Manuel Muntean) is a DJ and producer from Romania. He is known for his distinctive mix of house, jackin', funk, disco, and deep house. In his tracks, he combines groovy funk and disco elements with modern underground sounds. With numerous releases on international labels and placements in the Traxsource charts, he has established himself as a fixture in the house scene. (www.reinervonvielen.bandcamp.com / www.facebook.com/diskobar.gm)
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Klinke auf Cinch
Klinke auf Cinch is an integral part of the Jena electronics scene. Behind the project are producers Clemens Kynast and Lutz Hartmann, who weave deep house, nu jazz, hip hop, chill beats, and instrumental breaks into atmospheric, rhythmically dense tracks. Their releases include VOID feat. Postnegative (Club Edit), a summery deep house track with African vocals, piano, guitar and trumpet licks, the Ur Grace EP with remixes ranging from club grooves to downbeat, and Instrumentalbreaks for Scratchnerds, a collection of beats with hip hop, electro and soul/jazz influences. Whether suitable for clubs or for relaxed listening at home, Klinke auf Cinch balances danceability and soundscape exploration at a high level of craftsmanship, enhanced by collaborations with vocalists such as Postnegative and diverse remixes. (www.klinke-auf-cinch.com)
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Dope Styles
Dope Styles, aka Lutz Hartmann, has been a fixture of Jena's club and festival culture for many years. As a DJ, producer, and member of various projects, he impresses with his versatility, groove, and keen sense of the dance floor. Whether at major festivals such as Fusion, SonneMondSterne, or 3000Grad, or at Kassablanca Jena, his sets combine funky sounds, danceable beats, and surprising twists. Known as a “crazy all-rounder on the turntables,” he playfully bridges genres, sometimes with deep grooves, sometimes with a playful touch, and sometimes with a wink. In addition to his solo performances, he is part of Klinke auf Cinch and works with Carina Posse on the Kanapé project. With Dope Styles, he stands for a DJ philosophy that combines fun, precision, and openness – and thus shapes Jena's creative music scene far beyond the club. (www.instagram.com/dope_styles_dj)
DJ Légères
DJ Légères, whose real name is Thomas Schläfer, has been a defining figure in Jena's subculture since the 1990s. Together with Ilja Gabler, he took hip-hop and club culture at Kassablanca to a new level with the legendary Boomshakalaka series, attracting artists and fans from all over central Germany for years. Inspired by the scratch parts of Advanced Chemistry, he developed a passion for vinyl early on and was spontaneously christened Légères at Kassablanca. Today, he is considered one of the most technically skilled DJs on the scene. In addition to his DJ work, he is a member of the seven-piece band Feindrehstar, which combines funk, house, hip-hop, jazz, Afrobeat, and world music into an organic, danceable sound. Known for his cross-genre sets combining hip-hop, house, global & tropical bass, UK garage, rap, grime, and dubstep, he has been shaping the cultural scene in Jena for over 20 years—whether at Kassablanca, with formats such as TippiToppiDance, as part of Feindrehstar, or in cultural projects. DJ Légères stands for authenticity, technical excellence, and a deep connection to the local music scene. (www.djlegeres.bandcamp.com)