Axwell is undeniably one of the biggest names in house music on the planet right now, if not the biggest. He’s had success worldwide with his tracks ‘Feel the Vibe’ and ‘Watch the Sunrise’, his production work catapulting him to the forefront of global house music. I refer to him as the “King” because he has had the kind on continued success and recognition that consistent remixers like the Freemasons or Jacques Lu Cont/Thin White Duke can boast of. His remix work is a list too long to mention here, but anyone with even a passing interest in dance music would have heard at least his two biggest remix projects, Hard Fi’s ‘Hard to Beat’, and Roger Sanchez’s stomping ‘Turn on the Music’. His style of bass-heavy, storming beats with devastating drops and build ups have been massive on dance-floors and compilations.
Axwell makes up one quarter of the powerful Swedish House Mafia, alongside Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso and Eric Prydz. This group (like the grouping together of French house artists such as David Guetta and Joachim Garraud), is defining the current cutting-edge European sound. I asked Axwell about criminal connotations of his group. “Sebastian is half Italian, so that’s perhaps where we got the idea! We follow the same ideas as a mafia in that we are very close and we always work together. It’s funny actually, Steve just went to the US and when he arrived there, he was stopped and questioned by customs and they considered refusing him entry because they had heard that he was a member of the Swedish mafia!”
I admire Axwell because he is a man at the top of his game, and his consistency is undeniable. His remixes are perhaps, at times, too frequent for each to be a unique anthem in themselves. In Australia at least, he seems to release a remix or two each month. However every remix he does receives the attention it deserves, both on the radio and in the clubs. I asked Ax about the difference between producing his own work and remixing for someone else. “I like the idea of getting somebody else’s tunes and being able to just take a bit out of it that I like and completely add my own thing to it. It can be pretty daunting having to start from scratch to make your own track – you are sitting there in front of a blank computer screen thinking ‘how the hell do I do this?’ There’s more fun and flexibility remixing somebody else’s work.” How does Axwell feel about being touted as one of the biggest house producers in the world? “Oh thanks man! It’s nice to talk to someone who has done their homework! I don’t know – I guess I don’t disagree. I have been working extremely hard to get where I am today and I have been lucky as well that a lot of my work has been so well received.”
I have listened to many of Axwell’s sets from all around the world via the magic of the internet, and there are certain tracks he seems to drop in without fail. He obviously plays several of his own remixes (it is what the crowd want to hear), but what is the track he would never leave home without? “Oh, god, there’s so many! I would probably have to say Rune ‘Calabria’. When I drop that the crowds always seem to go crazy which is great. I love that sax riff! (sings the da-da, da-da-di-da-da, da-da).”
I asked him about his own remixes, and he recognises the immense success of his two biggest reworks; Hard-Fi and the S-Man. Understandably he isn’t so keen on the pressure to reproduce this success with every piece of work he touches, describing the strain as ‘immense’. “I don’t usually have much time to do these remixes because I get asked to do so many, and I’m on the road all the time,” he remarks. “A remix usually takes between two days and two weeks, and I often don’t have enough time to work with it as I would like.”
I asked him to try and clarify his sound, how does he describe it? Perhaps big room house with tough rolling basslines? “That’s a great way to describe it! I definitely like that big sound – I guess that’s how all of my work has seemed to turn out! I think bass and drums are definitely the most important part of a tune – they can really make it a good tune.”
One of the benefits of being a famous house DJ is the opportunity to travel all over the world. As well as visiting our shores earlier this year, Axwell has played gigs at Ibiza, as well as some of the biggest UK festivals, including Creamfields and Global Gathering, all alongside the other true masters of house music. But his favourite gig? “Oh boy, there has been so many – it’s just a haze! I have been able to travel to some really amazing places in the last year especially. I did gigs in Columbia and Malta – they were really great. You might not think it, but Russia is great too!”
Axwell was fantastic to interview because, even through a phone line on the other side of the world, his immense passion for his craft was obvious. The phrase ‘crazy Swede’ came to mind, but passionate and genuinely excited about his work was how I would describe the man, and it was very infectious. In comparison with some other DJs I have interviewed, it was an extremely refreshing change. I asked Ax what makes a good gig. He believed that it was a combination of several things. “The most important thing is having a great crowd. It’s fantastic playing to people who are really up for it. The other thing is luck. When you try something risky in a set, such as a mash-up, or layering an acapella over the top of a track you have never even thought of before, and it really works well – it’s those moments you remember.”
With a tour of Australia over the NYE/NYD period, I was interested to hear Axwell’s opinion on why so many of the international heavyweights choose to spend their summer in the land down under. “I don’t think they come just for New Years, but there are many reasons. What I like about the Melbourne crowds is the fact that they are smart. They really know their house music, and are very appreciative. I remember my Melbourne gig especially when I was here earlier this year – it was a great gig because the crowd were so receptive. You guys throw some great parties over summer, and of course you have that beautiful weather.”
I often ask DJs I interview about the increasing influence of electro in house music, particularly in Australia, and in Melbourne, with producers like TV Rock and Dirty South. Axwell revealed, “I don’t mind electro, but I think it’s more a spice of house music, rather than a stand alone style. I like TV Rock and Dirty South, in that they are really producing interesting electro. I don’t think electro has the longevity that house music does – the progressions are too basic – people really want a melody they can remember. I think it is just riding a wave of popularity right now. I don’t think people will be asking for ‘Put Your Hands Up For Detroit’ in 10 years time!’ And thank God for that!”
I finally wanted to know what the King liked and disliked most about the industry he works in. “The best is that there are so many good producers and remixes coming out. There are a lot of credible DJs and producers out there that make really good music. People are willing to take risks and they ultimately can produce something great. The worst thing is that it is so unregulated. Anyone can just set up an online music label and release tracks and people will download them, and play them no matter how bad they are. You don’t have to have talent to release tracks which, I feel, is a really bad thing.”
Catch Axwell on his ridiculously busy New Year tour with Pacha and Summadayze:
Dec 31 – Pacha at Home, Sydney
Jan 1 – Summadayze, Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
Jan 1 – Pacha Summadayze After Party, Melbourne
Jan 6 – Summafieldayze, Gold Coast
Jan 7 – Summadayze, Perth
Seamus Ryan says...
There is only one god. And his name is AXWELL