In Session: Helena Hauff

In a relatively short space of time Helena Hauff has made herself an absolute must-see at club nights and festivals the world over.

Why? Her high-octane, rugged and always blistering mix of industrial electro and jagged, spanky techno results in sheer euphoria. It's no-nonsense electronic music that requires you to leave all your inhibitions at the door and let loose. Her all-vinyl selection is full of unearthed gems that reek of mechanical times-gone-by and, while her sets feel like they're pointing to the future, they're always steeped in nostalgia and history.

Of the times we've seen her recently, a headline performance at Brickworks in Nottingham stands out. For four hours she captivated and pummelled in equal measures and it wasn't just us that were amazed, the DJ sharing the bill with her also looked on in awe. As far as UK selectors go, Ben UFO is up there as one of the most revered of recent years and he couldn't believe what he was seeing either. When we asked him what he thought of Hauff, he simply shook his head and said, "She's literally my favourite DJ at the moment".

On that premise, anyone lucky enough to be going to Sonar this year should be checking the two go b2b to see those sparks fly. A particular highlight of the programming this year and history in the making, surely.

It's no surprise that her skills behind the decks are so proficient as a long-term residency at Hamburg's Golden Pudel helped her carve a name for herself and acquire the skills needed to conquer the world. The love affair with the club started when she first visited the beloved venue at the age of 17. That first encounter, although short-lived because her friend wanted to get a kebab, as she told us last year, led her to revisit the club numerous times before she started playing and eventually hosting her own parties.