Jon Hester
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Participation | Rekids | Klockworks | Tresor
Participation | Rekids | Klockworks | Tresor
Deeply Rooted | Odd Even (Berlin)
Hailing from the Midwest US, Jon Hester is an embodiment of the movements, sounds, and attitude that have continued to push techno and house forward. His energy and enthusiasm brought him all the way from beginnings in Chicago and Minneapolis to his present home base of Berlin. With music released on Rekids, Klockworks, Deeply Rooted, and performances worldwide at clubbing institutions such as Berghain Berlin, Rex Club Paris, fabric London, and Vent Tokyo, he is equally keen for the fresh intensity of newer clubs dotting South America and South Africa. Jon continues building on the very expression he connected with more than 25 years ago via his label, Participation, an outlet for his own output as well as collaborative efforts with fellow artists in the global techno and house community. The collaborations are realized through a reciprocal exchange of sketches between artists, with artwork consisting of a simple one-line drawing from Hester himself – underscoring the directness, honesty, and immediacy of the music presented. Participation launched in October 2023 with a solo EP from Hester, followed by collaborations with Panorama Bar favorite Cassy, Madrid Techno figurehead Tadeo, Tokyo's legendary DJ Shufflemaster, Swedish mainstay Joel Mull, UK phenomenon The Advent, Icelandic icon Exos, American live act Lady Starlight, and Uruguayan upstart William Arist. With more projects in the works, Participation will continue to inspire, surprise, and delight listeners around the globe, with the impressive depth and breadth of Hester’s tastes and abilities on full display.
As the days get cooler and shorter, my third Berlin Summer Sundown Mix is now on SoundCloud and clickable in my Linktree. Recorded live at an outdoor stage from daytime into night, it’s an open-minded trip through ambient, grooves, techno, and house. Swipe for some clips and enjoy the ride! 🌅
09/08/2026
A few moments in the mix from Saturday night - it was a pleasure to get into the groove with you all, and dive into some eclectic selections later in the evening. Was nice to see some familiar faces and meet some new ones too! Many thanks to the crew for having me!
09/04/2026
Soaking in the southern sun and looking forward to being back in the Boiler Lab for my third time with tomorrow night. True underground realness - check slide 4 for a glimpse of last time, and head over to www.rethinktechno.com for info and tickets. Calling all Southeastern dancers to the dance floor, see you there!!
FRESH CUTS (new tunes I’m feeling, shared with you!) continues with “Ostbahn” by on .
I love the way these dub chords race through the track like a fast moving train, with a heady atmosphere that’s floating, while the driving groove keeps things moving. A great track for when everyone’s locked in, eyes closed, and getting deep while dancing full on!
This post is the first in a series of FRESH CUTS - new music I’m feeling that I want to share with you! I’m constantly listening to fresh techno and house, and this is a way for me to share some of my favorite selections. The tracks selected will span the entire range of my tastes, with no filter- from peak time energy to slinky deep grooves, heady hypnotic madness, dance floor burners, and more, so expect the unexpected!
First up is “Jack Jazz”, by on ’s label. K’ Alexi Shelby is an old school Chicago house legend, a pioneer in the genre since the 1980s, and still going strong today, as this track demonstrates: it’s a masterclass in musicality, groove, and soul! There is so much happening here between the bass line, the percussion, the piano, guitar, and vocals- it’s a full on song with so much character and musicianship in play, and the raw groove at the core is locked in and keeps me dancing!
I played it recently as the last track in my mix for my Observatory podcast presented by on Ibiza, and had to share it with you here, as these melodies have been in my head for weeks now.
It comes as no surprise that Laurent Garnier, being the esteemed and legendary music lover/DJ/producer/selector/radio show host/label owner that he is, would choose it for his amazing COD3 QR label, which releases music across numerous genres. It’s certainly also become a fast favorite of mine!
Enjoy grooving to this one, and I’m looking forward to sharing more new music with you soon! 🙌🔊💫
07/29/2026
My mix for Observatory presented by Sungate on ⚭ OpenLab.fm ⚭ Ibiza is now on SoundCloud. Thanks to Elvin for the invitation! Link in my Linktree
Includes music from TALISMANN | MAKAM | SLAGMANN Orlando Voorn Shd. Lance DeSardi Franck Roger Johannes Battista Leod Shinedoe Samuel Larsson Mark Broom invt Joy Orbison Halo Varga Otik Del Smith Joe Millington and more.
07/03/2026
Weekend incoming! Dive into a three hour *house set* recorded live on a Sunday night into Monday morning in Berlin, now posted as the latest episode of the House of Rekids Mix Show!
HOUSE OF REKIDS MIX SHOW 37 | Jon Hester is up next on the House of Rekids Mix Show. Having released four EPs on RSPX, a track on our 'Actualize' compilation, a genre-spanning double LP on Rekids, and featured on saxophone wit
05/21/2026
My set from March 28th at is now online – a journey into the depths of the basement, filled with thundering vibrations through concrete, iron, and dance floor energy. It was a wild ride, blasting through heaving beats, heavy grooves, and heady moments, combining fresh cuts, all time favorites, and eternal classics. Swipe for clips and the tracklist, and you already know where the link is - enjoy the ride! 🔊💫
04/15/2026
Chicago high school dances, marching band in London, Detroit techno, Minneapolis sound systems, studio moments, inspiration on the dance floor, new music discoveries, life in Berlin, AI, dance culture, cave exploration, black holes, and infinity. You can read about all of this and more in my latest interview for Fifteen Questions. Link in my Linktree!
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