Speed Date With Sebastian De Haas From Ataractic

1.Your Profile

We’re an electronic duo based in Sydney. We met in high school and we’re pretty recently formed. We sound like the result of smooshing synths, vocals and drum machines together. We like to blend some hip hop beats with jazz and electronica influences with soulful kind of vocals. When we’re not working on tunes we like to listen to music, eat, drink and be generally hedonistic.

2.Keeping Busy

We have been busy writing and mixing our debut EP to be released soon! In June and July we were pretty absorbed with the World Cup, so maybe now it’s over sleeping patterns can return to semi-normal and productivity can go up a touch.

3.Best Gig Ever

We haven’t played many gigs together yet as Ataractic, but years ago Isabella and I played a one-off gig for a friend’s birthday in a band with some friends, just playing some covers and stuff. It was played in our PJs to make it even better. I was playing bass and she was singing, and last minute she decided to transpose the key for a song so I had to put a capo on my bass as I couldn’t relearn it that quick. This will always be special as it’s the first time we played together, just not in our current form as Ataractic.

4.Current Playlist

Isabella’s been listening to a lot of Paolo Nutini, James Blake and Snarky Puppy. She’s digging Paolo Nutini’s new album and Sydney band Origami Birds. For me it’s been a lot of future R&B, hip hop and trap stuff like Rustie, Nomak, Lido, Webben, Robustt, Hudson Mohawke, Branchez, Childish Gambino and Cashmere Cat. I also can’t go past pretty much anything from Dirtybird and Soulection, and Motez and Friend Within are providing my house fix.

5.Your Ultimate Rider

For Isabella the ultimate rider is pad Thai and whisky, which is pretty much the same as the usual request anyway. For me the ultimate rider would be something so intricate and complex that it puts Steve Aoki’s rider to shame, including a private jet for after the show and a single plum floating in perfume served in a man’s hat… but generally we’re pretty happy for some beers and some snacks.