HAAi: Humanising electronic music with Novation
Teneil Throssell, known to the world as HAAi, is a DJ and producer with a career rooted in club culture. Her latest project, HUMANiSE, marks a semi-departure, this time developing an electronic performance that involves physicality, spontaneity, and a rig designed to be played live rather than simply run from a laptop. At the centre of shifting her album to the live stage are Novation’s Peak, Launch Control XL, and Launchkey.
A live set built for expression
As the name would suggest, Teneil designed Humanise to be performed live, and HAAi’s setup reflects that intent. “It was important to have a bit more physicality in what I was doing, outside just singing and playing chords,” she explains. For this, her synth of choice for crafting the album’s signature “complicated arps” was the Novation Peak. These intricate evolving arpeggios are a fundamental to her live show, triggered via MIDI from Ableton but brought to life through the one-to-one, hands-on, controls Peak’s become known for.
“Before, we were running soft synths live, which was high-risk for CPU,” Teneil admits. “Peak has taken away so much stress. It’s just wicked, unpredictable in the best way.” One patch, a rework of her track Be Good, even surprised her collaborator, studio partner, and friend, Luca Perry: “I had this sound in my head for weeks, and then I just made it. Normally, I’d call someone for help, but I was determined.” The result? A synth patch described as a translation of the sound in her head.
Control at her fingertips
HAAi’s new live rig gets deeper and offers more control beyond her beloved Peak. Luca explained how the Launch Control XL 3, mapped to a custom mode, puts playback, loops, and effects at Teneil’s fingertips. Luca’s also given Teneil DJ-inspired assignments, like filters and delays, so the hands-on moves feel familiar from HAAi’s earlier career. “It’s so compact, easy to travel with,” she notes, comparing it to the larger DJ mixers she used to drag around. That matters for a busy artist like HAAi: the same week as these sold-out London live shows, she would open for Max Cooper at the Royal Albert Hall.
The Launchkey MK4, brings some live keys to Teneil’s performance, despite the team not yet fully integrating the Launchkey’s arps to the workflow, it hints at future possibilities. “We’re on the tip of the iceberg,” she laughs. For now, Peak and Launch Control XL 3 form the setup’s nucleus— a balance of power and portability that lets her focus on performance.
From DJing to live
Transitioning from DJing to a live electronic performance wasn’t without its challenges. HAAi’s advice? “Work with a team. Lean on other people’s skills.” Luca’s technical expertise and Teneil’s own fearless tweaking habits have shaped a setup that feels immediately familiar, but still leaves room to push and rebuild parts of the show night to night.
Yet, for all its complexity, the rig retains a DJ’s soul. “It’s familiar,” she says. “I can lean into what comes naturally.” The Launch Control XL 3’s knobs and lights, mapped to DJ-style effects, bridge the gap between her club roots and this new chapter. And while she jokes about adding another Kaoss Pad, despite admitting “We don’t need more glitches”, the current setup feels “perfect.” For now.
Advice for other artists
Collaborate - the transition from DJing to live wasn’t solo. Work with a team. Identify your strengths, acknowledge your gaps, and collaborate with others who can fill them.
Prioritise performance - HAAi’s show is more than just singing and playing chords but keeping it simple at source allows the physicality of the Peak and Launch Control to offer a unique dimension for every show.
Start simple - HAAi’s rig is a work in progress. A compact, travel-friendly setup with playback and effects lets you grasp the basics, then grow.
The Novation difference
Why Novation? “It’s shaped what we’re doing, and what we’ll do moving forward,” HAAi says simply. The Peak’s tactile controls and sonic depth make it indispensable, while the Launch Control XL 3’s customisability and portability keep her rig agile. If she had to pick one piece of gear for a gig? “The Peak, without a doubt.” (Though she’d sneak in a microphone too.)
For HAAi, Novation’s gear is less about collecting toys and more about having controls she can trust in front of an audience. Whether she’s triggering Jon Hopkins-inspired synth lines or getting lost in a patch’s unpredictability, the hardware keeps the set responsive without the usual laptop anxiety. And as she continues to refine the live show, it’s clear this version of HAAi is still unfolding.
Catch HAAi on tour as she brings Humanise into the room — one complicated arp at a time.
Watch and listen to a sublime performance of Humanise from Drumsheds
Words: Ed Fry
Photography: Emma Davies and Ed Fry