The future looked promising.With hindsight, this optimism of the future seems a touch naive as over the past 5 years, the Swedish bundle ofjoy has joined the ranks of the most in demand DJ’s in house music – touring internationally at a head-spinning rate. You can find him on the cover of magazines, headlining any venue worth their salt and creeping up festival billings – not because his name starts with an ‘A’. This rise in popularity could be down to his dashing good looksor smiley personality. But it could be down to his highly esteemed label, Studio Barnhus (he co-runs with Kornél Kovács and Pedrodollar) which has been responsible for presenting the most exciting house music around today by the likes of Baba Stiltz, Usio, Bella Boo, among many others, and the three label-head’s themselves. Barnhus was also the perfect home for Axel’s celebrated debut album, Family Vacation in 2013. 2018 was the year forVolym 1 to come out. Volym is the label compilation series that gathers talents within the ever-expanding musical universe Studio Barnhus stays floating through.
The rise of Axel’s popularity could also be down to the quality projects Axel takes part in such as Man Tear (his DFA collaboration with Petter) or his work as 1/2 of Talaboman – his work with John Talabot is one of the most exciting collaborations in the game. Their album, The Night Land, came out in Spring 2017. But his impressive work ethic might be what explains Axel’s popularity the best – as he manages to tread the difficult line of extensive touring with a prolific release schedule. He has contributed mixes to most respected outlets – XLR8R,Dekmantel, Boiler Room, etc and is a regular visitor to Tim Sweeney’s esteemed Beats In Space show as well asThe Lot radio. His earlier contribution to Pampa Records was followed up in 2015 by one of the biggest releases of his career to date – the massive “1979 / Nokturn”, which was well received across the board and was even nominated as track of the year by Gilles Peterson. About “In the Dust of This Planet”, a track he released on Pampa in 2017, Axel says: “In my recent music the end part of my songs is getting longer and longer. More than half the song is an extendedending. I aim to stretch that end until the beginning is completely erased and the end becomes the beginning; Ametaphor for life, aging and my fear of dying. I think this song is an important step towards this new start.”
We’re all looking forward to hearing more of Axel in 2019, with new tracks coming on DGTL Records, Studio Barnhus and some surprises we cannot reveal just yet.