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DJ Mag Top100 DJs
23
Axwell
11

It's been a rollercoaster of a year for Axwell. The Swedish House Mafia announced they were to go their separate ways in June, despite riding a tsunami of hype that began swelling back in 2008.

"Things became so humungous, we just didn't know how to take it to the next level," he says. "We achieved all those dreams that we had. Swedish House Mafia was just a coincidence, really, that became so big. We thought, to challenge ourselves, we should change the direction suddenly. We thrive when things are a little bit turbulent." Splitting up is a pretty extreme way to change direction, but what's done is done. Since 2005, he's had his own imprint Axtone, and, he says, what they have always done individually "fuelled Swedish House Mafia", so the flow of production and remixes will continue unabated. "It will be business as usual," he assures.

"We've always been individuals, so in a way it's not that big of a dramatic change." They will be touring the globe on their final tour into March next year, with shows planned in India, South Africa and at Madison Square Garden in New York. "Right now it's exciting to be doing something for the last time," he says. "We're excited about the break up. So it's fun, in a way, but also melancholic."