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The Haxan Cloak

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The Haxan Cloak
The Haxan Cloak performing at the 2014 Pitchfork Music Festival
Background information
Birth nameBobby Krlic
Born1985 (age 38–39)
Wakefield, England
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, record producer
Years active2009–present
LabelsAurora Borealis
Tri Angle
Websitethehaxancloak.com

Bobby Krlic (born 1985),[1] known by his stage name The Haxan Cloak, is a British composer, artist, music producer and musician. Over the past decade, Bobby Krlic has created music under The Haxan Cloak, releasing two full-length albums (2011’s The Haxan Cloak and 2013’s Excavation).[2][3] As a producer, Krlic has worked with artists including Björk,[4] Father John Misty,[5] Khalid,[6] Troye Sivan,[7] Goldfrapp,[8] serpentwithfeet,[9] The Body,[10] and noise-rock band HEALTH.[11] As a composer, Bobby’s credits include Midsommar [12] directed by Ari Aster, Michael Mann’s Blackhat (in collaboration with Oscar-winning composer Atticus Ross),[13] Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2 (in collaboration with Swans)[14] and major network television shows Snowpiercer, Angel of Darkness (TNT) [15] and Reprisal (Hulu).[16]

Early life and education

Krlic was born and raised in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England.[17] He is of Serbian descent.[18] He studied music and visual arts at the University of Brighton.[19]

Music career

The Haxan Cloak releases

Bobby Krlic’s first release as The Haxan Cloak was the Observatory E.P., landing as a cassette via Aurora Borealis on Halloween 2010.[20] 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.[21] 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.[21]

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.

Production credits

In 2014, Krlic teamed up with American sludge metal band The Body to produce their 2014 album I Shall Die Here.[22] In the same year he produced Victim by noise rock band HEALTH.[23] Krlic also collaborated with Björk as a co-producer on her album Vulnicura, released in January 2015.[24] Since then, he produced serpentwithfeet’s E.P. Blisters,[25] contributed numerous tracks to Goldfrapp’s album Silver Eye,[26] Heaven by Khalid from his Free Spirit LP,[27] Animal by Troye Sivan,[28] and Father John Misty’s track Fallin’ Rain.[29] in addition to co-producing To S. / To R. released in 2020 via Subpop.[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.[13] In 2016, Krlic continued his work with Ross, co-scoring Triple 9, directed by John Hillcoat,[31] and the soundtrack to Almost Holy, a documentary directed by Steve Hoover.[32] In 2019, Krlic scored Ari Aster’s sophomore 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,[15] 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]

Touring

In 2014, The Haxan Cloak toured the United States visiting Washington, DC, New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.[38] He performed at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple along with Robert Henke and his music and light show, Lumière,[39] and in Los Angeles with Pharmakon.[40] 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.[41] Bobby Krlic also joined Björk on her Vulnicura tour in the U.S (including The Governor’s Ball in New York) and Europe.

Music 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.[42][21] 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".[42]

Excavation was rated a 9 out of 10 by Spin,[2] and an 8.7 out of 10 by Pitchfork,[21] who also named it the 29th-best album of 2013.[21] Rolling Stone named it the 16th-best dance album of 2013.[22]

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,[43][44] 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."[45]

Awards

2020 Midsommar — Winner, Best Original Soundtrack – Ivor Novello Awards [33]

2019 Midsommar – Nominee, Breakthrough Composer of the Year – International Film Music Critics Association [46]

Personal life

Krlic moved from London to Los Angeles in 2015.[47] As of 2016, he resides in the Silver Lake area.[48]

Discography

Albums

Year Title
2011 The Haxan Cloak
2013 Excavation
  • Released: 16 April 2013
  • Label: Tri Angle
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download

Extended plays

Year Title
2009 The Haxan Cloak
  • Released: 24 June 2009
  • Label: (self-released)
  • Formats: CD-R
  • Limited edition
2011 Observatory
  • Released: 11 July 2011
  • Label: Aurora Borealis
  • Formats: Cassette, CD, LP, digital download
2012 The Men Parted the Sea to Devour the Water
  • Released: 31 July 2012
  • Label: Latitudes
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
  • Limited edition

Film soundtracks

Year Film Artist Details
2015 Blackhat Atticus Ross Programmer
2016 Triple 9 Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, Claudia Sarne Composer, engineer, mixer, performer, producer, programmer
Almost Holy Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, Bobby Krlic Performer, composer
2019 Midsommar Bobby Krlic Composer[49]

TV & video game soundtracks

Year Project Artist Details
2018 Seven Seconds Bobby Krlic Composer, Producer
2019 The Alienist: Angel of Darkness Bobby Krlic Composer, Producer
2019 Red Dead Redemption 2 Bobby Krlic Composer, Producer
2019 Reprisal Bobby Krlic Composer, Producer
2021 Snowpiercer Bobby Krlic Composer, Producer
2021 Returnal TBA TBA

Songwriting and production credits

Title Year Artist Album Songwriter Producer
Primary Secondary Additional Vocal
"To Carry the Seeds of Death Within In" 2014 The Body I Shall Die Here checkY
"Alone All the Way" checkY
"The Night Knows No Dawn" checkY
"Hail to Thee, Everlasting Pain" checkY
"Our Souls Were Clean" checkY
"Darkness Surrounds Us" checkY
"Like Chrome" Wife What's Between checkY
"Tongue" checkY
"Heart is a Far Light" checkY
"Salvage" checkY
"Dans Ce" checkY
"A Nature (Shards)" checkY
"Living Joy" checkY
"Fruit Tree" checkY
"Further Not Better" checkY
"Unites" Lost Under Heaven Spiritual Songs for Lovers to Sing checkY
"Family" 2015 Björk Vulnicura checkY
"Victim" Health Death Magic checkY
"I&I" 2016 Lost Under Heaven Spiritual Songs for Lovers to Sing checkY
"Beneath the Concrete" checkY
"Future Blues" checkY
"Someday Come" checkY
"$oro" checkY
"Here Our Moment Ends" checkY
"Loyalty" checkY
"Lost Under Heaven" checkY
"First Eye to the New Sky" checkY
"Lament" checkY
"The Great Longing" checkY
"Flickering" Serpentwithfeet Blisters EP checkY
"Blisters" checkY checkY
"Four Ethers" checkY
"Penance"
(featuring Andre Goldenhuys)
checkY
"Redemption" checkY
"Anymore" 2017 Goldfrapp Silver Eye checkY
"Tigerman" checkY
"Become the One" checkY
"Faux Suede Drifter" checkY checkY
"Zodiac Black" checkY
"Moon in Your Mouth" checkY
"Ocean" checkY
"Animal" 2018 Troye Sivan Bloom checkY
"Fallin' Rain" Father John Misty Non-album single checkY
"Heaven" 2019 Khalid Free Spirit checkY checkY

References

  1. ^ “New Talent: The Haxan Cloak,” Fact, 29 July 2011.
  2. ^ a b "The Haxan Cloak: Excavation". Pitchfork.
  3. ^ "'The Haxan Cloak', by HAXAN CLOAK". Aurora Borealis Recordings.
  4. ^ Camp, Zoe. "Björk Collaborating with the Haxan Cloak on New Album". Pitchfork.
  5. ^ Strauss, Matthew. "Father John Misty Enlists the Haxan Cloak for New Remix: Listen". Pitchfork.
  6. ^ "How the Haxan Cloak's Bobby Krlic brought unnerving beauty to Midsommar". The FADER.
  7. ^ "Troye Sivan Shares New Song 'Animal'". PAPER. 9 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Beggars Music". beggarsmusic.com.
  9. ^ "serpentwithfeet: blisters". Pitchfork.
  10. ^ "The Body: I Shall Die Here". Pitchfork.
  11. ^ "The Quietus | News | The Haxan Cloak & HEALTH Collaborating". The Quietus.
  12. ^ "The Quietus | Features | A Quietus Interview | The Haxan Cloak Talks His 'Midsommar' Score". The Quietus.
  13. ^ a b "Interview with Midsommar composer, The Haxan Cloak". The HotCorn. 9 July 2019.
  14. ^ "Swans and The Haxan Cloak team up on new 'Red Dead Online' tracks". 1 November 2020.
  15. ^ a b "Bobby Krlic (The Haxan Cloak) Scoring TNT's 'The Alienist: Angel of Darkness' | Film Music Reporter".
  16. ^ says, Gary Jr. "Bobby Krlic (The Haxan Cloak) Scoring Hulu's 'Reprisal' | Film Music Reporter".
  17. ^ Larry Fitzmaurice, “Rising: The Haxan Cloak,” Pitchfork, 21 February 2013.
  18. ^ Gibb, Rory (30 November 2011). "The Quietus | Features | In Extremis | Hubble, Bubble, Toil & Trouble: The Haxan Cloak Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  19. ^ Nick Johnstone, “Interview: The Haxan Cloak,” Archived 27 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine The Stool Pigeon, 8 January 2013.
  20. ^ "'Observatory' E.P., by HAXAN CLOAK". Aurora Borealis Recordings.
  21. ^ a b c d e "The Haxan Cloak, 'Excavation' (Tri Angle)". Spin. 16 April 2013.
  22. ^ a b Minsker, Evan. "The Body Team With the Haxan Cloak for I Shall Die Here, Share "Hail to Thee, Everlasting Pain"". Pitchfork.
  23. ^ "HEALTH's 'Death Magic': How a Noise Band, Haxan Cloak & Kanye's Engineer Made 2015's Coolest Heavy Album". Billboard.
  24. ^ "Inside Track: Björk's Vulnicura". www.soundonsound.com.
  25. ^ "serpentwithfeet - blisters - LP". Rough Trade.
  26. ^ Johnston, Maura (29 March 2017). "Goldfrapp: How Instagram, Nature's Mysteries Influenced 'Tougher' New LP".
  27. ^ "Heaven" – via www.kkbox.com.
  28. ^ "Troye Sivan: Bloom". Pitchfork.
  29. ^ Roberts, Christopher. "Father John Misty Covers Link Wray's "Fallin' Rain" in New "Castle Rock" Trailer". undertheradarmag.com.
  30. ^ Shaffer, Claire (17 August 2020). "Father John Misty Shares 'To S.'/'To R.' on Sub Pop Singles Club".
  31. ^ "Triple 9 (2016) - IMDb" – via www.imdb.com.
  32. ^ "Atticus Ross / Leopold Ross / Bobby Krlic: Almost Holy OST". Pitchfork.
  33. ^ a b "The Ivors 2020 Winners Announced". The Ivors Academy. 2 September 2020.
  34. ^ "Snowpiercer Season 2 Netflix Series". Snowpiercer Season 2 Netflix Series.
  35. ^ "Bobby Krlic: "That pushed me in a direction I had not gone before in scoring"". 23 December 2019.
  36. ^ "Bobby Krlic Scoring Netflix's 'Seven Seconds' | Film Music Reporter".
  37. ^ Minsker, Evan. "The Haxan Cloak and Swans Share New Song for Red Dead Online". Pitchfork.
  38. ^ Studarus, Laura. "The Haxan Cloak Announces U.S. Tour Dates". undertheradarmag.com.
  39. ^ Pareles, Jon (12 May 2014). "An Electronic Double Bill to Shiver the Timbers (Published 2014)" – via NYTimes.com.
  40. ^ "Line Up - The Haxan Cloak + Pharmakon (ATP at Netil House)". All Tomorrow's Parties.
  41. ^ https://mif.co.uk/previous-festivals/mif17/dark-matter/the-haxan-cloak/
  42. ^ a b "The Haxan Cloak". Pitchfork.
  43. ^ Ge, Linda. "20 best movie and TV soundtracks of the decade, according to critics". Insider.
  44. ^ "Bobby Krlic's Midsommar OST matches the dreadful power of a truly masterful genre film". The Line of Best Fit.
  45. ^ "A thread written by @Glenn__Kenny". threader.app.
  46. ^ "IFMCA Award Nominations 2019". 6 February 2020.
  47. ^ "The Haxan Cloak on His Electronic Drone Metal: "I Want to Be the Most Intense Thing on the Bill Wherever I Play"". Thump. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  48. ^ "New studio coming along slowly... @ Silverlake, La". Twitter. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  49. ^ Strauss, Matthew (19 June 2019). "The Haxan Cloak Releasing Score for New Film Midsommar". Pitchfork. Retrieved 19 June 2019.