Suanpan (算盘) welcomes one of the most prolific names in techno in recent years, New York DJ and producer, Gunnar Haslam, to Zhao Dai on Friday 14th December.

New Yorker Gunnar Haslam is a rare talent with a unique intellect. Trained in particle physics and signal processing, he first began DJing and producing music as an undergraduate at NYU. He met Ron Morelli, the founder of L.I.E.S. records, while shopping at A1 Records and Ron released Gunnar’s first record in 2013, the highly-acclaimed Mimesiak LP.

Cutting his teeth at The Bunker New York under the watchful eyes of veterans like Mike Servito, Eric Cloutier, and The Bunker’s own Bryan Kasenic, Haslam is as comfortable playing records as he is producing them.

Since his first release, he’s been highly prolific, putting his career as a physicist on the back burner while going deeper into the world of synths and maintaining a steady outpouring of music spanning acid, techno, ambient and home listening. He’s produced five albums in as many years across his solo project and with Romans, the live act he shares with acid wiz Tin Man.

Spanning genres in his productions and growing through collaborations with other artists, it’s easy to see that Gunnar’s music is often about the journey, rather than the destination. In his own words: “Music is the one place where I can do whatever feels right, and just let it all happen.”

When turning out 12”s for the likes of L.I.E.S., Delsin and Argot, he favours a chilly, slithering sound, and as Romans with Tin Man he cooks up elegantly mournful techno that sends you deep into your own mind, so someone who is always evolving and exploring new territory.

We’re very excited to host his unique blend of mysterious techno at Zhao Dai on Friday 14th December. Expect the usual additional touches of production on the evening, with Tanner and Juhstynn on-hand to take care of musical proceedings on the night before and after the main show.