Steve Angello

Dance producer Steve Angello is known for his remixes and original tracks, his founding of Size Records, and his membership in the chart-topping Swedish House Mafia. He established a busy, filter-heavy hybrid of tech-house, tribal, and electro-house during the early 2000s, collecting early highlights on the 2003 full-length Tracks. Collaborating with artists like Laidback Luke, Eric Prydz, and David Guetta, he scored numerous club hits as his music became more hook-based and festival-ready, drawing from ’80s synth pop hits and ’90s house anthems. The 2009 single “Leave the World Behind” led to the formation of the supergroup Swedish House Mafia with fellow producers Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso. The trio were one of the most successful acts of the 2010s EDM boom, scoring numerous worldwide multi-platinum hits, with 2012′s “Don’t You Worry Child” being the biggest. After the trio went on hiatus, Angello released the guest-filled dance-pop album Wild Youth (2016), followed by the more reflective and conceptual Human (2018). Swedish House Mafia reactivated, releasing the full-length Paradise Again in 2022, and Angello continued producing material under his own name, including 2023′s “What You Need” (with Wh0). Born Steve Josefsson Fragogiannis in Athens, Greece to a Greek father and a Swedish mother, he grew up in in Stockholm, Sweden. He founded Size Records and inaugurated the label with the self-billed Simplicity EP in 2003. Subsequent releases were also produced by Angello, though often under monikers such as the Sinners, General Moders, and Who’s Who? — the former two also comprised of Sebastian Ingrosso — while subsequent releases featured other producers such as Luke van Scheppingen (aka Laidback Luke) and Chinedum Nwosu (Innersphere, Shinedoe). Also in 2003, Angello released his full-length solo debut album, Tracks, on the German label Konvex &124; Konkav. In 2004, Angello released the breakthrough chart hit “Woz Not Woz,” a collaboration with Eric Prydz for Subliminal Records. Another big splash was made with his remix of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).” A solo release on Subliminal, Acid/Euro, followed a year later. In 2006 Angello scored an even bigger hit, the Bronski Beat-sampling “Tell Me Why,” this one a collaboration with Axwell as Supermode. The popularity of “Tell Me Why” made 2006 a big year for Angello: a solo release of his, “Teasing Mr. Charlie,” also became a hit, and he was given the opportunity to release full-length CDs via Ministry of Sound (Sessions) and Mixmag (Stadium Electro). Angello’s hit streak continued in 2007 with “Get Dumb,” which, like “Tell Me Why” before it, was released on Data Records, a Ministry of Sound affiliate. Sizeism, a two-CD showcase of the Size Records style, was also released via Ministry of Sound in 2007. Another mix, Subliminal Sessions Winter 2009, closed out the decade. His hits during this period included the David Guetta collaborations “Baby When the Light” and “Everytime We Touch,” the Robin S.-sampling “Show Me Love,” and “Leave the World Behind,” a collaboration with Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso, Laidback Luke, and Deborah Cox. During the early 2010s, Angello’s greatest commercial success came as a member of Swedish House Mafia (along with Axwell and Ingrosso), a group that amassed six multi-platinum singles, as well as two platinum albums, in their native country. He remained busy on his own, both during the group’s existence and during their hiatus, with tracks such as “Open Your Eyes,” “Wasted Love,” and “Children of the Wild,” as well as remixes of material by Cheryl, Depeche Mode, and Coldplay. Wild Youth, a collaborative album led by singles like “Children of the World” (featuring Mako) and “Wasted Love” (featuring Dougy), nearly topped Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart in 2016. The next year, he issued the Genesis EP, featuring the singles “Breaking Kind” with Paul Meany and “Rejoice” with T.D. Jakes. He completed the EP trilogy with Inferno and Paradiso in 2017 and issued “Nothing Scares Me Anymore,” whose original vocals by Brandon Flowers were replaced by Sam Martin. These songs would all land on his concept album Human, which arrived in 2018. Swedish House Mafia returned the same year, performing at Ultra Miami 2018 with only 24 hours’ advance notice. The trio worked on new music and resumed touring and appearing at festivals, eventually releasing their comeback single “It Gets Better” in 2021. Paradise Again, their first proper full-length, arrived in 2022, with guests including Sting, the Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, and Ty Dolla $ign. The trio additionally co-wrote and co-produced songs on the Weeknd’s Dawn FM. In 2023, Angello, Ingrosso, and PARISI released “U Ok?,” based on Roman Flügel’s “Geht’s Noch?,” a 2004 single which greatly influenced the Dirty Dutch house style. Angello also collaborated with U.K. duo Wh0 on the bombastic house tune “What You Need.” ~ Jason Birchmeier & Paul Simpson