Hear Axwell’s Wedding Gift to His Wife, ‘Waiting for So Long (Gloria)’
In celebration of the tenth birthday of his label, Axtone Records, former Swedish House Mafia member Axwell is curating a deluxe compilation — Axtone Ten, out December 11th — that features his first solo single since 2013. Below you can stream the song, “Waiting for So Long (Gloria),” a wedding dedication from the producer to his wife.
Axwell’s newest single is considerably slower than most of his recognizable hits, like 2013’s “Center of the Universe,” and not nearly as heavily produced. The track features syncopated MIDI trumpets against a rounded synth, laid over a beat that recalls Axwell’s earliest days as a house producer and DJ in Sweden and the U.K.
“My solo work is more of a vent or an outlet for music that feels more personal to me,” Axwell told Rolling Stone of the track’s intimate tone. “I thought my wife deserved something money couldn’t buy — a song just for her.”
Axwell has recently released singles with fellow Swedish House Mafioso Sebastian Ingrosso, including “This Time,” the proceeds from which were donated to the UN’s child-refugee relief efforts. In an interview with Zane Lowe, Axwell also hinted at the possibility of a Swedish House Mafia reunion.
“We think about it every now and then, you know — what we left, what we did, what we accomplished and everything, and how it would be to do something together again,” he said. “Who knows what happens in the future, we might get a sudden urge for Swedish House Mafia again.”
For now, though, Axwell has his hands full, not least with Axtone Records. “The craziest part is that we’ve had people working and building a record label for a decade, but successfully, even in these days of the music business going down,” he tells RS. “That to me is amazing. We’ve been able to make a business out of my own music, other artists’ talent and the dedicated team behind the label. That feels special. Back in the day, having your own label sounded impossible. It’s crazy to see where we are now.”