Bristol-based producer Axel Boy’s debut EP, Shangri-La, out now on Deadbeats, captures the emotion of contrast through sound. In our conversation with him, that sense of duality emerged not only as a defining theme of the EP, but also as a reflection of who he is as an artist: someone who understands nuance, rejects binary labels, and embraces the beauty of the in-between.
“I feel like this EP was a solid showcase of my current sound, mostly heavy-hitting, but with a sprinkle of euphoria. I’ve always loved that contrast in bass music, where one tune can feel really emotional and uplifting, then the next is just pure low-end chaos.”
The term “Shangri-La” evokes paradise, escape, and an almost mythic sense of place. But for Axel Boy, the inspiration behind the title track, “Shangri-La,” came from somewhere real: Glastonbury. More specifically, it came from the afterglow of coming home from a memorable festival.
“A big inspiration behind the project was actually the Shangri-La area at Glastonbury festival in the UK… I started the title track pretty much straight after coming back from the [Glastonbury] festival last year when I was feeling really inspired by the whole atmosphere and energy of that place. There’s something about it that feels chaotic, emotional, euphoric and slightly surreal all at once, and I think that naturally fed into the music.”
Glastonbury’s Shangri-La area is known for its massive sound systems, underground electronic music, surreal art installations, dystopian visuals, and hidden corners, all of which create a beautiful chaos that feels both gritty and freeing. That contrast mirrors the emotional space the EP moves through: the moment after the festival ends, when the crowd has disappeared, everyday life is waiting, and yet the energy is still moving through you.
Bristol’s rave culture and the UK’s bass music scene played a major role in shaping Axel Boy as an artist. Growing up in an era where there was always something happening, from dubstep and drum & bass to UKG and more experimental underground bass music, he found early inspiration in the energy of those nights and the community surrounding them.
“Bristol definitely played a massive part in shaping my sound and who I am as an artist in general. When I turned 18, I was already heavily into bass music and started going out to loads of raves across the city at places like Motion, Lakota, Basement 45 and Blue Mountain.”
At the time, dubstep in Bristol felt raw, exciting, and immediate. Axel Boy recalled tiny pop-up events with massive energy, including a Skrillex afterparty following his 2012 O2 Academy show, where a 300-capacity room was packed wall to wall. That physical connection to sound left a lasting imprint on him.
In Bristol, sound system culture ran deep, with venues often filled with subs that produced bone-chilling bass: physical, heavy, and alive. That low-end weight, the pressure of the room, and the shared release of the crowd continue to shape the way Axel Boy approaches music today.
“With Shangri-La, I wanted to capture some of that contrast I grew up around in Bristol. The darker, heavier side of bass music mixed with those euphoric moments where everyone’s completely locked into the music together. Even though the EP reaches beyond the UK scene, the roots of it are definitely tied to those Bristol experiences and that whole sound system culture.”
That foundation also helps explain why Axel Boy’s sound refuses to sit neatly inside one category. Electronic music is often framed through binaries: old school versus new school, Skream versus Skrillex, dubstep versus brostep. But Axel Boy does not treat those sounds as opposing sides. Instead, he seems drawn to the space where they overlap.
“I think more than anything, I just want people to feel like there are no real boundaries with the Axel Boy project. I grew up listening to so many different corners of UK dance music, dubstep, garage, drum & bass, bass house, even more melodic electronic stuff, so it’s always felt natural for me to pull inspiration from all of those worlds instead of sticking to one lane.”
His view suggests that honoring the roots of UK dance music does not mean rejecting where the genre has gone, and embracing newer, more melodic or high-energy forms does not erase the culture that came before them. Instead, his creative philosophy lives in the balance between both. Across dubstep, UK garage, drum & bass, bass house, and melodic electronic music, the common thread is not one BPM or genre label. It is energy, emotion, atmosphere, and impact.
“Even though the styles can change, I think the common thread is always energy and emotion. Whether it’s something really dark and heavy or more euphoric and melodic, I want the music to make people feel something physically and emotionally at the same time.
The balance in his creative philosophy shows up in the way Axel Boy builds his tracks: through experimentation, cinematic detail, and a willingness to let different eras of dance music speak to each other. In the studio, he spends time building his own library of sounds, presets, and ideas. That approach gives Shangri-La its range, allowing heavier bass instincts, melodic atmosphere, and dancefloor nostalgia to exist in the same world.
“I like to think of writing music a bit like painting on a blank canvas. You start with an idea or a feeling, sketch out the rough shape of it, then slowly bring it to life with detail, texture and colour.”
That range comes through clearly on “On Time,” his UKG-driven collaboration with Princess Superstar. The track opens another side of the EP: brighter, bouncier, and charged with early 2000s dance nostalgia. The collaboration itself felt surreal for Axel Boy, especially after Deadbeats connected them and he learned Princess Superstar was already familiar with his music.
“I’d always imagined my sound with her [Princess Superstar] vocals on it, so for that to actually become a reality was amazing. So many people have sampled her over the years, so being able to create something original together felt really special.”
Originally a demo he had been sitting on, “On Time” taps back into his bass house and UKG influences through big chord-driven synths, swung 4×4 drums, and melodies inspired by the 2000s dance era. Princess Superstar’s presence helped turn it into a natural blend of both their styles, creating a track that feels playful, nostalgic, and modern all at once.
Shangri-La makes it clear that Axel Boy is not interested in being boxed into one genre. Across the EP, he pulls from the sounds that shaped him, from the darker early dubstep of Skream, Benga, and Coki to the more melodic brostep wave that sent him full speed into bass music. Rather than treating those influences as separate lanes, he brings them into the same world, building a sound that moves freely across UK dance music while still feeling distinctly his own.
“I’ve never really wanted to make ‘functional’ dance music that only works in one setting. I’m way more interested in building tracks and projects that feel immersive and memorable, where the sound design hits hard but there’s still atmosphere, storytelling and personality behind it.”
That appreciation for both the roots and evolution of bass music gives Shangri-La its shape. With cinematic production, emotional weight, and a clear sense of movement, the EP stands as a defining statement for Axel Boy’s next creative chapter. Across it all, his identity comes through in the energy, atmosphere, and emotional impact of his sound.