KATJA RUGE DJ

“Music has always been my way of expressing emotions, discovering my identity, and understanding my place in the world.” – Katja Ruge

Katja Ruge’s DJ sets are a seamless fusion of Italo, New Wave, Cosmic Sounds, 80s, Dark Disco, and Electro. With deep musical knowledge and an intuitive sense of the crowd, she effortlessly adapts to both club environments and more intimate settings. She has played at renowned venues such as Golden Pudel Club, Else Berlin, Südpol, U&G, as well as various events, gallery openings, and private parties.

In 2023, Katja launched the DJ & live set series “Electric Lights – Women in Electronic Music” at Planetarium Hamburg. Her first guests included Helena Hauff and DJ MELL G. The event’s Berlin premiere at Zeiss-Großplanetarium was a double sell-out in February, featuring a live performance by JakoJako.

Building on this momentum, 2024 saw the debut of “Days at Kolorado”, a Saturday daytime party (16:00–22:00) created in collaboration with the design agency Karl Anders. Hosted at the breathtaking Kolorado rooftop venue in Altona, the series will continue with new dates this summer.

For years, Katja has also been curating “Kann Denn Liebe Synthie Sein?”, a beloved Hamburg party series known for its distinctive lineup. Past guests include Essaie Pas, Cosmetics, The Hacker, Josh Cheon (Dark Entries), Wolfram, Italo Brutalo, Curses, Neil Landstrumm, Kittin, The Emperor Machine, Perel, Local Suicide, and many more.

CAN LOVE BE SYNTH

What started as a shared passion for machines and sounds in the studio quickly evolved into a dynamic collaboration. Before they knew it, Katja Ruge and Frank Husemann were remixing tracks for artists like Erasure, Cerrone, Ruede Hagelstein, Polly Scattergood, and Cada Un. Their releases have found homes on respected labels such as Bordello A Parigi, Ombra INT., TAU, A CLEAN CUT, and Figure Music.

With a deep love for vintage analog synthesizers, these machines have become the heart of their sound. Their productions come to life in the legendary Synthesizer Studio Hamburg—a haven for synth enthusiasts, owned by Frank & Sunny. Tucked away behind the grey walls of the Bunker, beneath the iconic Club Uebel & Gefährlich, this studio is a true treasure trove for electronic music creation.

DJ GIGS

2025
20.09.25 Private Event
12.07.25 Mit Vergnügen Factory Hammerbrooklyn HH
27.03.25 supporting Dina Summer Bahnhof Pauli HH
20.03.25 Private Event 
12.03.25 Electric Lights Planetarium Hamburg guest Joyce Muniz
8.03.25 Creative Day Viva Villa HH
01.03.25 Resident Advisor Panel Hamburg
22.02.25 Demodisco DJ Set Hamburg
18. & 19.02.25 Electric Lights Zeiss Grossplanetarium Berlin guest JakoJako


2024
21.12.24 Locke Hamburg 16-18 Uhr
13.12.24 Private Party
27./28.11.24 Flughafen Frankfurt
6.11.24 Electric Lights Planetarium Hamburg with Lena Willikens
19.0.24 Lovemasters Kinky Party Prinzenbar
10./11.10.24 Airport Frankfurt
28.9.24 Days at Kolorado mit Ludwig Mausberg
7.09.24 House-Frau at Kolorado with Boris Dlugosch
31.8.24 Days at Kolorado with Hufnagel & DJ Dreams & david bay & bubamara
20.08.24 Stadtpark Openair DJ set supporting Peaches & Roisin Murphy
29.07.24 Zissou Sicnal Radio Session 
13.7.24 Days at Kolorado with Bizzarro Universe & BOBBIE*
28.06.24 Luna Club Kiel
20.06.24 Karl Anders Summer Party
7.06.24 Cafe Schöne Aussichten with Digitalism & david bay
28.05.24 Torture the Artist Interview & Radioshow on Sicnal 
3.05.24 Südpol
20.04.24 Beach Motel Heiligenhafen with Welcome to Rimini
22.3.24 Lit Pop Leipzig zur Buchmesse
13.03.24 Electric Lights Planetarium Hamburg with DJ MELL G

2023
7./8.12, 14./15.12. 23 Airport Frankfurt
3.11.23 Nachtasysl HH with Dina Summer
11.10.23 Electric Lights Planetarium Hamburg with Helena Hauff
22.09.23 Luna Club Kiel with Johannes Albert
23.09.23 Lovemasters Hafenklang
28.-30.07.23 Hej Hans Festival
21.-23.07 Airport Frankfurt
20.05.23 Golden Pudel Club with Kittin
30.04.23 Riaa Bar Bday Bash
2.03.23 Popup Berlin, EMOP Herspective Photographers Vernissage

2022
16.12.22 U&G HH Studio Lovemasters & Verflixt w/ Len Faki
12.12.-16.12.22 Flughafen Frankfurt
29.11.22 Torture The Artist Show at Sicnal Radio
12.10.22 Can Love Be Synth presents Curses live U&G
8.10.22 Riaa Hörbar
10.9.22 Theater Nacht im Nachtasyl
6.8.22 Vogelball
11.-13.7.22 Hej Hans Festival
9.6.22 Exhibition Preview WILD AT HEART in Hamburg
29.3.22 Torture The Artist Radio Show sic:nal Radio
20.01.22 Mutant Radio Georgia  

Arm mit Tattoo 'CAN LOVE BE SYNTH?' und geometrischen Elementen; Person sitzt an einem Tisch mit Getränk im Hintergrund.
Schwarz-Weiß-Porträt einer Person mit blondem Haar in einem dunklen Outfit vor einem dunklen Hintergrund, in einer nachdenklichen Pose.

CAN LOVE BE SYNTH SELECTED RELEASES 

2025

Air Texture Compilation (summer)

2023

Cada Un- The Hardest Part (Can Love Be Synth "Jane Birkin La Photo" Remix)
2022
Marzipan - Can Love Be Synth (Open Space 2/Figure Music)
2021
BUNKER - Can Love Be Synth (A Clean Cut)
No point in tripping (Remix) - Erasure (Mute Records)
2020
In the Moment - Can Love Be Synth Remix - Polly Scattergood 
Lemoncake - Can Love Be Synth (OMBRA INTL 016)
Peanuts - Can Love Be Synth (Palo Santo Compilation / TAU)
2017
Megapulser - Can Love Be Synth (Bordello A Parigi)