Guest Selector: HAAi

Australian-born DJ and producer HAAi (pronounced ‘hi’) moved to London around seven years ago, when she was the singer of the psychedelic rock band Dark Bells. A trip to Berghain piqued her interest in dance music; after swapping psych rock for electronic, her big break as a DJ came when she was announced as the new ‘permanent’ resident at Brixton club Phonox.

That residency put HAAi on the map, and this year she has played a huge schedule of UK and European shows, including festivals such as Annie Mac’s Lost & Found, Nuits Sonores, Field Day and Melt. She is the label boss of her own imprint Coconut Beats, and released her broken-beat styled EP Motorik Voodoo Bush Doof Musik in July. With the former psychedelic rocker-turned-techno producer set to play with Daniel Avery at Sub Club this month, we asked HAAi to share some of the tracks she’s had on high rotation recently.

Axel Boman – Nokturn (Grand Finale) 
[Pampa Records, 2015]

"I heard Gilles Peterson play this when I had him as a Coconut Beats guest at Phonox this summer. I tapped him on the shoulder and was like 'ummmmm, what the hell is this?' He just tapped the side of his nose and winked and turned back round and kept playing. When I woke up the next day, I had a WeTransfer from him and I’ve been playing it ever since. I mean, listen to this track. It’s the perfect balance of percussion, tension and psychedelia."

Almaty – Gennaro
[Naive, 2018]

"Violet is of one of my favourite humans and label bosses, and this is off her label Naive. The whole release is rad and it was hard to choose which is my favourite from the EP, [but] from beginning to end this track is a winner."

The Black Madonna – Say My Name
[Home Taping is Killing Music, 2013]

"Anyone who knows me musically knows this has long been my favourite tune. I first heard Andrew Weatherall play it during one of his all-night sets a few years back. That set was almost like a religious experience for me. I’ll never forget when the bass came in on this tune. Never."

The Immortals – Mortal Kombat (Techno Syndrome) 
[Vernon Yard Recordings, 1996]

"Mortal Kombat was my favourite game when I was a kid. It’s such a kind of aggressive trance tune, but I fkn love it. Really love the sound bites in [the track] from the game as well."

Daniel Avery & Alessandro Cortini – Water
[Self-released, 2017]

"There is no denying Dan is one of my favourite artists and people on this dusty marble. His project with Cortini of Nine Inch Nails is nothing short of superb. This track really serves as a breath of fresh air in among much heavier tunes. Quite a spiritual listen I think. Both Avery and Cortini share a love for the textured and ambient. I can’t wait to hear more from them."

Richard H Kirk – All In Vain
[Intone Productions, 2013]

"I have included a Richard H Kirk track in every mix I've made for the past couple years. He has long been one of my favourite producers. One of the most prolific producers of our time, he is a man of many aliases (I think it was 36 at last count). I have played this tune on and off in the club for the past 18 months. The distorted synth and quite motoric beat really does something to my insides."

Peder Mannerfelt – Introductions and Aspirations
[Peder Mannerfelt Produktion, 2018]

"I had never met Peder but was a big fan of him and his productions. I wrote to him to ask if he had anything in the cannon that I might want to use for my Radio 1 Essential Mix that went out recently. He happily obliged and sent me some unreleased bits, including his new LP. It’s fucking rad."