HAAi

London-based DJ/producer Teneil Throssell (aka HAAi) aims to bring out the inherent psychedelic qualities in dance music with sets that incorporate rare records from around the world. After a stint in the psychedelic band Dark Bells, Throssell took up DJing, originally as a resident at Ridley Road Market Bar. In 2016, she became the resident DJ at Phonox in Brixton, boosting her profile considerably. Given the freedom to play all night long on a weekly basis, HAAi developed unpredictable, trippy sets and a loyal following. She followed with the release of her own productions, including 2018′s Motorik Voodoo Bush Doof Musik, which encapsulated her internationally eclectic approach. Signing to Mute, she released acclaimed EPs such as 2019′s Systems Up, Windows Down, and her debut full-length, Baby, We're Ascending, arrived in 2022.
Born in an isolated part of Australia — somewhere between Perth and the Margaret River — Throssell spent her youth learning guitar to pass the time until one day she took a risk and jumped on a plane to Sydney, immersing herself in the punk rock scene there. Alongside bassist Ash Moss, she eventually moved to London, where they started a psychedelic rock band called Dark Bells; despite reaching the point of playing U.K. festivals, the group eventually broke up. Soon after, Throssell took a trip to Berlin, where she unlocked her passion for electronic dance music on the Berghain dancefloor. It wasn’t long until she set about pursuing her newfound interest, landing a residency at Ridley Road Market Bar in London. Over time, her sets at the bar morphed into a combination of rare Turkish funk, African drumming, and Middle Eastern dance music.
HAAi’s adventurous selections caught the attention of Joe Coghill, Jacques Greene’s manager, who asked Throssell to support Greene for some of his U.K. shows. Coghill also put her in touch with club owner Andy Peyton, who was looking for a new resident to take over from Jasper James at Phonox. In 2016, HAAi began her weekly all-nighters at the club. This opened many doors for her, leading to international bookings and exposure for Coconut Beats, which began as a party in Dalston before expanding into a weekly club night and a record label. It also led to the release of her debut singles, “Be Good” and “FEELS,” as well as her debut EP, Motorik Voodoo Bush Doof Musik, in 2018. By the end of the year, she had performed at numerous festivals, including Glastonbury, Field Day, and Nuits Sonores, and her contribution to BBC’s Essential Mix had been crowned the program’s best mix of the year.
In 2019, HAAi signed to Mute and issued the six-track EP Systems Up, Windows Down. A four-track EP titled Put Your Head Above the Parakeets arrived in 2020. This led to her debut album, 2022′s Baby, We're Ascending, which altered her formula by introducing some high-caliber collaborations, including Jon Hopkins, Alexis Taylor, Obi Franky, and spoken word poet Kai-Isaiah Jamal. ~ Liam Martin