As a DJ, Jannis Hannover is barely legal. Being only 18 years old he can already look back to gigs in clubs like Studio 672, Roxy Club, Reineke Fuchs, Chalet in Berlin as well as countless open-air and bar-venues in the area of Cologne. His record collection spreads from Bill Evans to Drexciya and his DJ-sets impress through their fascinating mixture of Soul, Funk, Afro-Jazz, Detroit- and Acid-House. Since he graduated from high school this spring, he spends his days either at the piano, in the record-shop or in front of Ableton-Live. We see a bright future ahead (and are secretly hoping that this kid will make us all rich one day). Check out his laid-back 60-minute mix, keeping on the spirit of the last ALAAF and KICKIN´ Sunday Groove.
What was your initial idea or roadmap for the mix?
Actually I wanted to make a sort of easy listening mixtape, but after the first tracks it just hit me, so the mix gets kind of rough in the middle.
I had recorded a quite similar mix about 3 weeks ago after spending a weekend in Berlin. Obviously I found a lot of nice records there, so when I was back home I just hit the record button and tried them out. When I recorded it again I just changed 3 or 4 songs and now the mix contains about 6 tracks I got at OYE and The Recordloft.
Can you tell us a little more about some tracks you selected?
“No Disrimination” by Tony Allen (8:58) has quickly become one of my favourite records. I’m a big fan of African Music and when I listen to the recordings of guys like Tony or Fela Kuti at home I often can´t help myself to start dancing and singing.
Another track I want to mention is “Sound Drome” by Gene Hunt (25:32). It has been rereleased last year on a Rush Hour Compilation honoring the infamous Muzic Box. It’s a massive clubbanger and I can’t wait to play it on a heavy system somewhere!
For your age you have a very diverse taste of music – how come?
I guess one of the most essential moments in the development of my musical taste probably was when my brother showed me a lifemix of Theo Parrish and Emlie Omar playing at the Soul Spectrum party at Djoon, Paris. It contains 5 hours of Funk, Jazz and Soul and it hit me right away! Before that I was mainly listening to bad electronic music, so it was something totally new to me. Since then I grew a specific love for Funk and Soul as well as for genre-hopping DJ’s.
You´re only 18 but already live a pretty wild nightlife. Do you get any trouble at home?
Haha no, when I tell my mum the time I got home the last night she always pretends to be shocked, but she is kind of inconsequent and actually never tells me when to be back, so it’s really relaxed at home. I think by now she just got used to it.
You just graduated from high school. What are your plans for the future?
I still don’t know the exact plans, but I’m sure that I definitely want to do something with music, because it’s the only thing that really catches my interest at the moment. I´m a big fan of Jazz music and at the time I try to improve my piano-playing, but I’m still searching for the right thing to study in the future.