Having been a pioneer of electronic for over three decades, German DJ, producer and label owner Hell – aka Helmut Josef Geier – has seen more than a few trends come and go in his time. Responsible for launching the careers of Miss Kittin & The Hacker, Tiga, Vitalic and Zombie Nation through his International Deejay Gigolo label, he’s also riding high on a wave of critical acclaim for his brand new album Teufelswerk, with many already calling it the best dance release of 2009.

Working with Peter Kruder (of Kruder & Dorfmeister) on the double album, Hell also invited a few interesting collaborators into the studio; Bryan Ferry and P Diddy. Speaking with inthemix for our latest podcast, Hell was upfront when asked how he saw Diddy suiting the overall vibe of the release. “Everybody thinks [that] Puffy doesn’t fit into electronic music, but I think exactly the opposite is the truth,” Hell explained. “For a lot of years he’s been going to techno clubs, he’s been going to Ibiza, he knows about the music from when he was a kid going to the house and techno clubs in New York.”

To date Diddy has indeed made himself something of a familiar face on the dance scene, featuring on tracks with producers like Felix Da Housecat, Erick Morillo and Deep Dish, and it seems he’s found a true believer in Hell. “I would call him the black Andy Warhol!” Helmut espoused. “What he’s doing is really arty, and it’s really fascinating how he moves and how he motivates people. I think it’s a pretty good combination, me and Puffy.”

The track in question is called The DJ, and it sees Diddy paying homage to the old school types who play music for themselves and not to please a crowd. “I was very happy to work with him, and in the track [that we made] he’s talking about the DJs and I think it’s really the right direction. DJs should not be a crowd pleaser or dick-sucker, only playing the big tunes. He gives some respect to the true after hours people who are still dancing in the morning. He’s absolutely right; it’s all about the music and taking risks.”

If you’d like to hear the full interview be sure to grab your copy of the latest inthemix podcast, which also features new music from Chris Lake, Richard Dinsdale, Meat Katie & Dylan Rhymes, Chicken Lips, Caspa, Dyed Soundorom and more!