Haider has been part of the Mantissa family for some time. 2 years ago he put together an incredible mix for us and last year we were lucky to be able to release Haider’s and Lost Boy’s “Get Real”. After a busy 2024 and ahead of a busy 2025, we were lucky to get some time to chat again.
Hey Haider, it’s a pleasure having you back on our platform! To set the playing field for those who aren’t as aware of you as we are, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hey pals! The pleasure’s all mine. I’m a Pakistan-based multidisciplinary artist, producer and DJ, – though I wear a few more musical hats: mix engineer, remix artist, and composer. At 26, I’ve spent over a decade bending noise into narratives, creating art from sound. These days, I’m deep into curating the aesthetic for Satya—a Lisbon-based multidisciplinary label showcasing cutting-edge electronic music, watercolor painting, landscape photography, and yogic teachings–working closely with its founder, French artist YokoO.
You’ve been friends with Nabihah Iqbal for a while I assume (I was listening back to your NTS guest show with her from 2022!) and your Sky River remix you did for her came out exactly this time last year (which is incredible) – can you tell us a bit about how that came about? It must have felt like a real “full circle” moment.
Nabihah and I first crossed paths during her debut Pakistan gig—a night that crackled with energy and put Pakistan’s music scene on the map. Fast-forward to her co-hosting Pakistan’s first Boiler Room in Karachi, and suddenly I’m filling in for her NTS Radio residency while she’s here. Cosmic timing, right?
When she asked me to remix on her Dreamer album for Ninja Tune, it wasn’t just a creative challenge; it was the push I needed to focus on music full-time. The imposter syndrome was real—Ninja Tune’s roster is legendary—but her trust drowned out the noise. Sharing the release with an electronic music icon like Frank Wiedemann (Innervisions) wasn’t just validation—it silenced the doubters, including my own family. In South Asia, choosing music over tradition is a silent rebellion. Big up to all remixers for shining alongside.
For Get Real, you worked with Lost Boy, what’s it like creating a track together?
Lost Boy and I click because we balance each other out. He has an ear for melodies, I lean into textures, and together we hit a rhythm that just works. Plus, sharing roots in Lahore means we’re wired to blend old and new. Talal’s actually the reason I started making music, so collaborating with him now feels full-circle. Our latest remix on Seven Villas came together effortlessly—no overthinking, just trusting our gut. It’s out now, and I’m stoked for people to hear it!
When producing, do you have a typical process you follow? Any advice out there for budding new producers?
Early on, I’d obsess over every detail—like tweaking a kick drum for hours. Now? I focus on the feel first. If a melody or rhythm grabs me, I chase that spark. Technical stuff comes later. My advice? Trust your ears over your eyes—waveforms don’t tell the whole story. And if you’re recording live instruments or vocals, invest in solid analog-to-digital converters. Clean signal chains save headaches down the road. Oh, and burnout’s real—take walks, let ideas breathe.
You’ve put together a few tracks for us as part of our Mantissa Selects series – can you tell us a bit about how you have curated this?
For this curation, I curated some of my favorite music released over the last years on Satya.
What are your plans for 2025? Both from a release and gig perspective!
For 2025, I’m finishing up older projects while diving into new ones—keeps the balance right and the burnout at bay. Release-wise, I’m excited to share more collabs with Lost Boy; we’ve been making new music. There’s also an upcoming EP produced with YokoO. 😍
Gigs? I’m chasing venues where the crowd’s energy and my sound truly click. Beyond that, staying open to whatever the universe throws my way.