Helena Hauff cracks through the ice with Qualm, her new album for Ninja Tune — the most cohesive and enjoyable record Helena Hauff has put out yet.

The title has a duality that Hauff enjoys — the German word Qualm ( kvalm) translates as fumes or smoke, whilst the English meaning refers to an uneasy feeling of doubt, worry or fear, especially about one's own conduct. This murky feeling runs through the album’s intended lo-fi production quality.

Widely regarded as one of the leading lights within the darkened expanse of modern EBM DJs and producers, Helena Hauff has consistently throughout her DJ sets and records created an entire universe of dystopian electro and post-punk techno. True to form, the record is unapologetically raw and finds her returning to her original modus operandi — jamming on her machines — “trying to create something powerful without using too many instruments and layers”.