Hailing from Lund, Sweden, this weeks hall of fame inductee has been a well known artist in the scene since 2004. He’s a DJ, producer, record label owner, and once was one third of the Swedish House Mafia (you may have heard of them). Of course, we are talking about Axel Hedfors, better known as Axwell.
Axwell got into music at the youthful age of 9, by playing drums (starting on the path to that perfect sounding drum rack early in life!). He was put off by his friends inability to learn their instruments at the same rate he had his, and by the start of high school, had traded in his drum set for a computer. He wanted to be able to create every aspect of a song exactly how he envisioned.
Axwell gained prominence in 2004 when he released ‘Feel The Vibe’. The song was a hit on the UK charts, leading to Axwell being tapped for remixes by the likes of Pharrell, Nelly Furtado and others. A few years later, Axwell teamed up with Swedish DJ Steve Angello under the name Supermode, as well as with another Swedish DJ, Eric Prydz, under the name Axer. Though the group didn’t officially form until 2007, this was the beginning of the Swedish House Mafia. Originally the group consisted of Axwell, Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso, and Eric Prydz before Prydz moved on to other projects (How legendary would that have been, though?).
The remaining three members officially deemed themselves the Swedish House Mafia, embarking on a world tour in 2008. This past March, Axwell and crew called their supergroup quits at Ultra Music Festival in Miami. After five extraordinary years, sold out shows worldwide, and a handful of number one hits, it was time for each member to say goodbye and embark on a different chapter.
The dissolution of something as titanic as SHM has obviously not impeded Axwell’s career in any way. His 2013 has been as successful as anybody’s. Since Swedish House Mafia’s disbandment, Axwell has released a new single (Center of the Universe), helped his record label, Axtone Records, shoot through the stratosphere in terms of exposure and support, and performed in the iconic Ibiza with fellow Swedish House alum, Sebastian Ingrosso.
And now without further delay, the Axwell top 5:
1. Sweet Disposition- Temper Trap (Axwell and Dirty South Remix)
One of the most popular songs of 2010, Temper Trap’s Sweet Disposition got a huge make over by Axwell and Dirty South. The song, available on Temper Trap’s EP is very true to Axwell’s musical style of minimalistic synths with an uplifting tone. The Sweet Disposition remix has gone on to become Axwell’s most recognized song.
We chose to go with a recent set from the Swede, his fantastic showing at Tomorrowland 2013. The setlist is classic Axwell, featuring re-works and edits of classic SHM tracks, a plethora of Axtone releases, and of course, Axwell’s very own releases. We now leave you with a mesmerizing hour and a half of one of the world’s most influential and recognizable producers, Axwell.
