Donna Leake

Donna Leake was raised in Nottingham, but as one of its longest-serving associates her rep is tied closely with London’s Brilliant Corners.

It’s an understandable affinity – as an avid digger whose musical philosophy runs deeper than most, Donna was immediately taken with the audiophile haven upon visiting for the first time and became fast friends with owners Amit and Aneesh Patel who, before long, offered her a job at the spot.

Whether DJing alone or as one third of Winds & Skins with long-time co-conspirators Ece Duzgit and Debora Ipekel, Donna is, like most great DJs, more interested in cultivating a vibe or atmosphere than excelling in one particular genre or sound, performing a strange and fantastic alchemy that forges surprising connections between the different sections of her vast record collection.

Donna doesn’t deal in ‘conventional’ club fare as such – you’re unlikely to catch her playing 4/4 for hours on end – but with such a finely-tuned ear for grooves she’s able to weave even the weirdest records into eminently danceable sets.

True to form, her Crack Mix goes long, mixing jazzy cuts with smoked-out guitar jams across a deeply enjoyable 90-minute session. It’s indulgent stuff from one of the very best selectors out there.

Donna Leake plays at Westival, Wales, 19-22 July