The Haxan Cloak Explained

The Haxan Cloak
Birth Name:Bobby Krlic
Birth Date:1985 12, df=yes
Birth Place:Wakefield, England
Occupation:Musician, composer, record producer
Years Active:2009–present
Label:Aurora Borealis
Tri Angle
Associated Acts:

Bobby Krlic (born 20 December 1985),[1] known by his stage name The Haxan Cloak, is a British composer, artist, music producer and musician.

The Haxan Cloak has released two full-length albums (2011's The Haxan Cloak and 2013's Excavation). As a producer, Krlic has worked with artists including Björk, Father John Misty, Khalid,[2] Troye Sivan,[3] Goldfrapp,[4] serpentwithfeet[5] and The Body.[6] He has also composed several soundtracks, credited under his real name, including Ari Aster's 2019 horror film Midsommar,[7] and television series Snowpiercer, Angel of Darkness[8] and Reprisal.[9]

Early life and education

Krlic was born and raised in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England.[10] He is of Serbian descent.[11] He studied music and visual arts at the University of Brighton.[12]

Music career

The Haxan Cloak releases

Krlic's first release as The Haxan Cloak was the Observatory E.P., landing as a cassette via Aurora Borealis on Halloween 2010.[13] A year later, Krlic recorded his first album, The Haxan Cloak, in his parents' shed using strings, mics and a laptop, playing every instrument himself.[14] The second LP, Excavation, was released in 2013, and has a more electronic feel, using samples and heavy bass, along with distorted field recordings made by Krlic.[14] [15] [16]

In 2012, The Haxan Cloak released a limited edition, one track, 27-minute live recording, The Men Parted the Sea to Devour the Water, as a part of Southern Records' Latitudes series.[17]

Krlic has also released remixes of songs by other artists under The Haxan Cloak, including Father John Misty[18] Foals[19] and Björk.[20]

Production credits

In 2014, Krlic teamed up with American sludge metal band The Body to produce their 2014 album I Shall Die Here.[21] In the same year he produced Victim by noise rock band HEALTH.[22]

Krlic also collaborated with Björk as a co-producer on her album Vulnicura, released in January 2015.[23] [24] Since then, he has produced serpentwithfeet's E.P. Blisters,[25] Goldfrapp's 2017 album Silver Eye,[26] Heaven by Khalid from 2019's Free Spirit,[27] and by Troye Sivan's 2018 single Animal.[28] He also produced Father John Misty's cover of Fallin' Rain.[29] and co-produced his 2020 singles To S. / To R.[30]

Scoring work

Krlic was invited by Oscar-winning score composer Atticus Ross to work with him on Michael Mann's film Blackhat released in 2015.[31] In 2016, Krlic continued his work with Ross, co-scoring Triple 9, directed by John Hillcoat, and the soundtrack to Almost Holy, a documentary directed by Steve Hoover.[32]

In 2019, Krlic scored Ari Aster's second feature horror film Midsommar, for which Krlic won Best Original Score at the 2020 Ivor Novello Awards.[33]

Within television, Krlic has scored a number of major network shows including TNT's Snowpiercer[34] and Angel of Darkness, Hulu's Reprisal[35] and Netflix's Seven Seconds.[36]

In 2020 he collaborated with Swans on a Halloween Pass of Red Dead Redemption 2 by Rockstar Games.[37] [38]

Touring

In 2014, The Haxan Cloak toured the United States visiting Washington, DC, New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.[39] He performed at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple along with Robert Henke and his music and light show, Lumière,[40] and in Los Angeles with Pharmakon.[41] The New York Times called The Haxan Cloak's set "amorphous, ominous and immersive, a transcendent plunge into darkness and overwhelming pressure". The Haxan Cloak performed a solo show at Manchester International Festival in 2017.[42] Bobby Krlic also joined Björk on her Vulnicura tour in the U.S (including The Governor's Ball in New York) and Europe.

Musical style

Krlic's music is almost entirely instrumental, and is often described as dark, carefully constructed, textured and atmospheric, with heavy bass and elements of drone metal.[43] [14] Of his albums, Krlic has said, "The first record was about a person's decline towards death, so this one's about the journey he takes afterwards." The name Haxan Cloak derives from the Swedish "häxan", meaning "the witch".[43]

Excavation was rated a 9 out of 10 by Spin,[15] and an 8.7 out of 10 by Pitchfork,[14] who also named it the 29th-best album of 2013.[14] Rolling Stone named it the 16th-best dance album of 2013.[21]

Midsommar received wide critical praise including a 9/10 from The Line of Best Fit, ranked 2 in Insider's Top 20 Best Movie and TV Soundtracks of The Decade,[44] [45] and critic Glenn Kenny of The New York Times stating that “The remarkable music score by Bobby Krlic aka The Haxan Cloak is also a major contributor to the uncanny feeling the movie creates. Top Stuff."[46]

Awards

Returnal – Winner, Outstanding Achievement in Original Music CompositionD.I.C.E. Awards[48]

Returnal – Winner, Best MusicBAFTA Games Awards[49]

Personal life

Krlic moved from London to Los Angeles in 2015.[51] As of 2016, he resides in the Silver Lake area.[52]

Discography

Albums

YearTitle
2011The Haxan Cloak
2013Excavation

Extended plays

YearTitle
2009The Haxan Cloak
2011Observatory
2012The Men Parted the Sea to Devour the Water

Film soundtracks

YearFilmArtistDetails
2015BlackhatAtticus RossProgrammer
2016Triple 9Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, Claudia SarneComposer, engineer, mixer, performer, producer, programmer
Almost HolyAtticus Ross, Leopold Ross, Bobby KrlicPerformer, composer
2019MidsommarBobby KrlicComposer[53]
2023Beau Is AfraidBobby KrlicComposer[54]
Blue BeetleBobby KrlicComposer

TV & video game soundtracks

Year Project Artist Details
2016 Bobby Krlic Composer
2018 Bobby Krlic Composer, Producer
2019 Bobby Krlic Composer, Producer
2019 Red Dead Redemption 2 Bobby Krlic Composer, Producer
2019 Bobby Krlic Composer, Producer
2021 Bobby Krlic Composer, Producer
2021 Bobby Krlic Composer
2022 Bobby Krlic Composer
2023 Bobby Krlic Composer

Songwriting and production credits

TitleYearArtistAlbumSongwriterProducer
PrimarySecondaryAdditionalVocal
"To Carry the Seeds of Death Within In"2014The BodyI Shall Die Here
"Alone All the Way"
"The Night Knows No Dawn"
"Hail to Thee, Everlasting Pain"
"Our Souls Were Clean"
"Darkness Surrounds Us"
"Like Chrome"WifeWhat's Between
"Tongue"
"Heart is a Far Light"
"Salvage"
"Dans Ce"
"A Nature (Shards)"
"Living Joy"
"Fruit Tree"
"Further Not Better"
"Unites"Lost Under HeavenSpiritual Songs for Lovers to Sing
"Family"2015BjörkVulnicura
"Victim"HealthDeath Magic
"I&I"2016Lost Under HeavenSpiritual Songs for Lovers to Sing
"Beneath the Concrete"
"Future Blues"
"Someday Come"
"$oro"
"Here Our Moment Ends"
"Loyalty"
"Lost Under Heaven"
"First Eye to the New Sky"
"Lament"
"The Great Longing"
"Flickering"SerpentwithfeetBlisters EP
"Blisters"
"Four Ethers"
"Penance"
"Redemption"
"Anymore"2017GoldfrappSilver Eye
"Tigerman"
"Become the One"
"Faux Suede Drifter"
"Zodiac Black"
"Moon in Your Mouth"
"Ocean"
"Animal"2018Troye SivanBloom
"Fallin' Rain"Father John Misty
"Heaven"2019KhalidFree Spirit

Notes and References

  1. http://www.factmag.com/2011/07/29/new-talent-the-haxan-cloak/ “New Talent: The Haxan Cloak,”
  2. Web site: How the Haxan Cloak's Bobby Krlic brought unnerving beauty to Midsommar. The FADER.
  3. Web site: Troye Sivan Shares New Song 'Animal'. 9 August 2018. PAPER.
  4. Web site: Beggars Music. beggarsmusic.com.
  5. Web site: serpentwithfeet: blisters. Pitchfork.
  6. Web site: The Body: I Shall Die Here. Pitchfork.
  7. Web site: The Quietus | Features | A Quietus Interview | The Haxan Cloak Talks His 'Midsommar' Score. The Quietus.
  8. Web site: Bobby Krlic (The Haxan Cloak) Scoring TNT's 'The Alienist: Angel of Darkness' | Film Music Reporter.
  9. Web site: Bobby Krlic (The Haxan Cloak) Scoring Hulu's 'Reprisal' | Film Music Reporter. Gary Jr. says.
  10. Larry Fitzmaurice, “Rising: The Haxan Cloak,” Pitchfork, 21 February 2013.
  11. Web site: Gibb . Rory . The Quietus Features In Extremis Hubble, Bubble, Toil & Trouble: The Haxan Cloak Interviewed . The Quietus . 20 December 2020 . en-us . 30 November 2011.
  12. Nick Johnstone, “Interview: The Haxan Cloak,” The Stool Pigeon, 8 January 2013.
  13. Web site: 'Observatory' E.P., by HAXAN CLOAK. Aurora Borealis Recordings.
  14. Web site: The Haxan Cloak, 'Excavation' (Tri Angle). 16 April 2013. Spin.
  15. Web site: The Haxan Cloak: Excavation. Pitchfork.
  16. Web site: 'The Haxan Cloak', by HAXAN CLOAK. Aurora Borealis Recordings.
  17. Web site: Review: The Haxan Cloak – The Men Parted The Sea To Devour The Water. https://web.archive.org/web/20130527085045/https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/the-haxan-cloak-the-men-parted-the-sea-to-devour-the-water . 27 May 2013 . Shepherd, Sam . 29 July 2012 .
  18. Web site: Strauss. Matthew. Father John Misty Enlists the Haxan Cloak for New Remix: Listen. Pitchfork. 31 August 2017.
  19. Web site: 2015-08-06. Foals single 'What Went Down' remixed by The Haxan Cloak - listen. 2021-09-02. NME. en-GB.
  20. Web site: 2015-06-23. The Haxan Cloak Remixes Björk's "Mouth Mantra". 2021-09-02. Pitchfork. en-US.
  21. Web site: The Body Team With the Haxan Cloak for I Shall Die Here, Share "Hail to Thee, Everlasting Pain". Evan. Minsker. Pitchfork. 4 February 2014.
  22. HEALTH's 'Death Magic': How a Noise Band, Haxan Cloak & Kanye's Engineer Made 2015's Coolest Heavy Album. Billboard.
  23. Web site: Camp. Zoe. Björk Collaborating with the Haxan Cloak on New Album. Pitchfork. 6 January 2015.
  24. Web site: Inside Track: Björk's Vulnicura. www.soundonsound.com.
  25. Web site: serpentwithfeet - blisters - LP. Rough Trade.
  26. Goldfrapp: How Instagram, Nature's Mysteries Influenced 'Tougher' New LP. Maura. Johnston. Maura Johnston . . 29 March 2017.
  27. Web site: Heaven. www.kkbox.com.
  28. Web site: Troye Sivan: Bloom. Pitchfork.
  29. Web site: Father John Misty Covers Link Wray's "Fallin' Rain" in New "Castle Rock" Trailer. Christopher. Roberts. undertheradarmag.com.
  30. Father John Misty Shares 'To S.'/'To R.' on Sub Pop Singles Club. Claire. Shaffer. . 17 August 2020.
  31. Web site: 9 July 2019. Interview with Midsommar composer, The Haxan Cloak. The HotCorn.
  32. Web site: Atticus Ross / Leopold Ross / Bobby Krlic: Almost Holy OST. Pitchfork.
  33. Web site: The Ivors 2020 Winners Announced. 2 September 2020. The Ivors Academy.
  34. Web site: Snowpiercer Season 2 Netflix Series. Snowpiercer Season 2 Netflix Series.
  35. Web site: Bobby Krlic: "That pushed me in a direction I had not gone before in scoring". 23 December 2019.
  36. Web site: Bobby Krlic Scoring Netflix's 'Seven Seconds' | Film Music Reporter.
  37. Web site: The Haxan Cloak and Swans Share New Song for Red Dead Online. Evan. Minsker. Pitchfork. 31 October 2020.
  38. Web site: 1 November 2020. Swans and The Haxan Cloak team up on new 'Red Dead Online' tracks. .
  39. Web site: The Haxan Cloak Announces U.S. Tour Dates. Laura. Studarus. undertheradarmag.com.
  40. News: An Electronic Double Bill to Shiver the Timbers (Published 2014). Jon. Pareles. The New York Times. 12 May 2014.
  41. Web site: Line Up - The Haxan Cloak + Pharmakon (ATP at Netil House). All Tomorrow's Parties.
  42. Web site: The Haxan Cloak.
  43. Web site: The Haxan Cloak. Pitchfork. 21 February 2013 .
  44. Web site: 20 best movie and TV soundtracks of the decade, according to critics. Linda. Ge. Insider.
  45. Web site: Bobby Krlic's Midsommar OST matches the dreadful power of a truly masterful genre film. The Line of Best Fit.
  46. Web site: A thread written by @Glenn__Kenny. threader.app.
  47. Web site: IFMCA Award Nominations 2019. 6 February 2020.
  48. Web site: D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details . 2022-03-07 . www.interactive.org.
  49. Web site: Purslow . Matt . 2022-03-03 . BAFTA Games Awards 2022 Nominations Announced . 2022-03-07 . IGN . en.
  50. Web site: Flynn . Tilly . 2022-04-07 . Nominations announced for The Ivors 2022 . 2024-05-29 . The Ivors Academy . en-GB.
  51. Web site: The Haxan Cloak on His Electronic Drone Metal: "I Want to Be the Most Intense Thing on the Bill Wherever I Play". Thump. 15 September 2015 . 9 August 2017.
  52. Web site: New studio coming along slowly... @ Silverlake, La. 23 September 2016. Twitter. 9 August 2017.
  53. Web site: Strauss . Matthew . The Haxan Cloak Releasing Score for New Film Midsommar . . June 19, 2019 . June 19, 2019.
  54. Web site: The Haxan Cloak Shares Beau Is Afraid Score Track "Sail Away". www.stereogum.com. March 28, 2023. April 2, 2023.