The Haxan Cloak


Bobby Krlic, known by his stage name The Haxan Cloak, is a British musician and record producer.

Early life and education

Krlic was born and raised in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. He studied music and visual arts at the University of Brighton.

Music career

Krlic recorded the first, self-titled Haxan Cloak album in his parents' shed over the course of three years using strings, mics and a laptop, playing every instrument himself. The second LP, Excavation, was released in 2013, and has a more electronic feel, using samples and heavy bass, along with distorted field recordings that Krlic recorded himself.
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. Krlic teamed up with American sludge metal band The Body to produce their 2014 album I Shall Die Here. Spin called it "a match made in hell." In August 2014, it was reported that Krlic is helping to produce the upcoming album from noise rock band HEALTH. In January 2015, Krlic announced that he was collaborating on both Vulnicura, an album by Björk released on 20 January 2015, and the score to Michael Mann's film Blackhat with Atticus Ross, released in theaters on 16 January 2015.
In 2016, Krlic continued his work with Ross, co-scoring Triple 9, directed by John Hillcoat, and composing the soundtrack for the documentary Almost Holy, directed by Steve Hoover. He provided the score for Ari Aster’s horror film Midsommar.

Touring

In 2014, The Haxan Cloak made its debut in the United States, with four dates total, in Washington, DC, New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. He performed at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple along with Robert Henke and his music and light show, Lumière, and in Los Angeles with Pharmakon. The New York Times called The Haxan Cloak's set "amorphous, ominous and immersive, a transcendent plunge into darkness and overwhelming pressure."

Style

Krlic's music is almost entirely instrumental, and is often described as dark and spooky, carefully constructed, textured and atmospheric, with heavy bass and elements of drone metal. 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".
Excavation was rated a 9 out of 10 by Spin, and an 8.7 out of 10 by Pitchfork, who also named it the 29th-best album of 2013. Rolling Stone named it the 16th-best dance album of 2013.

Personal life

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

Discography

Albums

Extended plays

Soundtracks

Songwriting and production credits