Axel Boman

Stockholm native Axel Boman works as a DJ and producer of bright, lighthearted house while co-managing the Studio Barnhus imprint alongside Kornél Kovács and Petter Nordkvist. Most of his output stays lean, rhythm-driven, and playfully irreverent, yet moments of quiet reflection appear, as on the 2011 piece “Depression 01.” He sometimes joins forces with John Talabot under the Talaboman alias; their first album, The Night Land, surfaced in 2017. Two years later he issued the expansive double set LUZ/Quest for Fire.

Boman began frequenting raves in the early 1990s and steadily became part of Stockholm’s club circuit, first as an attendee and later behind the decks. After turning to production he placed several EPs on Ourvision Recordings beginning in 2008. The track “Arcimboldo,” taken from that year’s digital-only Jungle Jesus EP, gained quick traction in clubs, prompting a 12-inch of remixes in 2010. That same year he helped launch Studio Barnhus, and Pampa Records—then recently started by DJ Koze—put out his Holy Love EP. “Purple Drank” emerged as the record’s standout club cut, establishing Boman as a sought-after DJ, producer, and remixer. Subsequent EPs appeared on Play It Down, Glass Table, and Hypercolour, while he supplied remixes for Harald Björk, DJ Hell, Wolfram, and additional artists.

His first proper album, Family Vacation, arrived via Studio Barnhus in 2013 and featured the single “Fantastic Piano.” Alongside Nordkvist he records as Man Tear; the duo placed “Outside Amore” on DFA. Boman also formed Talaboman with John Talabot, whose debut single “Sideral” was issued in 2014 after featuring on Talabot’s 2013 DJ-Kicks mix CD. Boman’s own “1979” followed on Pampa in 2015, and the Moon Dancer EP came out on Third Try Records the next year. Talaboman’s debut full-length, The Night Land, appeared on R&S in 2017. Boman’s second solo album, Le New Life, arrived on Mule Musiq in 2019; that year Talaboman issued “Discodrums” and Man Tear returned with “Kill Me.” The reflective “Eyes of My Mind” surfaced in 2020 and quickly ranked among his most widely praised recordings. In 2022 he simultaneously released the two albums LUZ/Quest for Fire, which include appearances by Bella Boo, Baba Stiltz, and Kamohelo of Off the Meds.