Haai b2b DJ Boring
6th December 2024

2020 was a sobre, still, introspective time for many. For HAAi – the Australian-born, London-based DJ and producer – it was no different. For someone so used to spending multiple nights a week in the club, surrounded by sweat, strobes and dancing, lockdown felt particularly weird. “Before the pandemic, I was playing a lot of really long sets. I was so immersed in music all the time,” she says now. “I love touring! I have ADHD, so I feel like I have the stamina to play late shows and go to the airport. So much of how my brain is wired lends itself to the life that I have.” When all of that was taken away, HAAi threw herself into producing, mixing and writing tracks to compensate. “I would never have taken that much time off before.” Now that clubs are open and planes are running, HAAi has spent a lot of time being back in the booth, surrounded by noise and beats and people. It’s where she feels most comfortable, most herself. “You get to play a party where you feel like it’s your birthday party every night,” she says. “It’s important to take breaks now and then. From now onwards, it’s going to be crazy busy.”

Watching DJ BORING in action is the antithesis of his mundane pseudonym; vibrant, energising fun and full of passion, Tristan Hallis puts his all into every set. Over the last few years he has ascended rapidly thanks to his dazzling displays, impeccable selection and high quality productions. The Australian selector takes great pride in his digging capabilities, constantly searching for lesser-known gems from years gone by, and pairing them up with more recent cuts that are equally exceptional. Since he arrived with ‘Winona’ in 2016, DJ BORING has continued to push forward and demonstrate his abilities on stage, in the clubs, at festivals and behind-the-scenes in the studio. He has an innate ability to blend seemingly disparate styles. His debut on BBC Radio 1’s legendary Essential Mix and an amazing Boiler Room appearance at Lost Sundays exemplify this DJ style, but tune in to any of his streams, recorded sets or, better still, see him in person and you’re bound to be left buzzing by his sheer dynamism. In the studio, the producer has honed in on a contemporary sound that pays homage to the roots of dance music. His productions are birthed in hardware and imbued with Hallis’ energetic personality – a human touch which can often be lacking in many productions today. This trait shines through in his new live show where hardware and controllers become a natural extension of his creative self, a conduit through which he presents a fresh take on his music.