by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

HAAi’s second album, as its title implies, is a look at what it means to be human in an increasingly automated age, “as AI threatens to eclipse everything and our screens separate us from each other”.

With that in mind, HAAi – real name Teneil Throssell – returns to her songwriting roots, using her own vocals and further enhancing the human element in a series of carefully chosen collaborations.

These include her friends Jon Hopkins, Alexis Taylor from Hot Chip, singer Obi Franky and rapper KAM-BU, the poet Kaiden Ford, James Massiah and not one but two choirs – TRANS VOICES and a gospel choir led by Wendi Rose.

What’s the music like?

Humanise is as emotive as the story demands it should be. HAAi has a beautiful voice, and lends it to a wide variety of soundscapes that range from harder, beat driven affairs to big, spacious areas for contemplation.

Often both of these elements combine, as they do on the Jon Hopkins collaboration  Satellite, the comforting lead vocal boosted by Obi Franky, ILĀ & TRANS VOICES, with glitchy beats and surround sound provided by Hopkins. The same ploy works well for Stitches later on.

There is a sense of melancholy running through the album, to tangible effect on the otherwise anthemic Can’t Stand To Lose and the brilliant New Euphoria, where Alexis Taylor helps lift the music to a higher plane.

Meanwhile Shapeshift carries an impressive weight while Voices is superb, powering through. Go is a really good slow burner, while at the other extreme the nippy Hey! races forwards; both examples of the variety found on Humanise.

Does it all work?

It does – the album is well structured, and there is a satisfying ebb and flow to the tempo choices and peaks of intensity. In spite of the many collaborations, HAAi’s voice shines through.

Is it recommended?

Enthusiastically. This may be an electronic album, but it is one stressing the importance of the human brains behind our automated tools, and what keeps those brains and minds ticking and alive.

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,717 – Thursday 13 November 2025