Rewind to the mid-2010s at famed London club Plastic People, and you might well have found a young Amaliah in the crowd when Pangaea was playing. Fast-forward to Sónar 2026, and she’s going back-to-back with an artist she’s long looked up to. 

As one-third of Hessle Audio - alongside Ben UFO and Pearson Sound - Kevin McAuley has spent almost two decades reshaping dance music. Although he has a reputation as the quiet man of the trio, overlook him at your peril. An understated DJ and a formidable producer, his encyclopedic knowledge of UK club music is matched only by his versatility. Flicking through his productions you’ll find pranged-out post-dubstep, slick house/techno hybrids and even latin-flavoured club pop. 

Amaliah is a clear disciple of Hessle’s borderless, endlessly innovative style. Once an insatiably curious clubber, she’s now an insatiably curious curator, using her label Borne Fruits and monthly Rinse FM show to shine a light on music old and new. Like McAuley, she balances leftfield selections - especially 90s house and techno, sprinkled with UK soundsystem culture - with an impeccable sense of groove.

If you’re a fan of UK club music, then look no further: this is the set you can’t miss at Sónar 2026.