This article is about the music artist; for other uses, see Xela (disambiguation).

Xela (born John Twells) is a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 electronic music

Electronic music

Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...

 artist, from Walsall

Walsall

Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...

, who currently operates out of Malden

Malden, Massachusetts

Malden is a suburban city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 59,450 at the 2010 census. In 2009 Malden was ranked as the "Best Place to Raise Your Kids" in Massachusetts by Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine.-History:...

, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

. When he is not busy running the Type record label

Record label

In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...

, and writing for Boomkat, he produces electronic music encompassing a variety of styles and moods.

His earlier music combines constructed beats, smart melodies and brittle electronica, which is supplemented by guitar and other instrumentation in later recordings. An obsession with horror soundtracks, particularly from the films of Dario Argento

Dario Argento

Dario Argento is an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in the horror film genre, particularly in the subgenre known as giallo, and for his influence on modern horror and slasher movies....

, Umberto Lenzi

Umberto Lenzi

Umberto Lenzi , is an Italian film director who was very active in low budget crime films, peplums, spaghetti westerns, war movies, cannibal films and giallo murder mysteries ....

 and Lucio Fulci

Lucio Fulci

Lucio Fulci was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his directorial work on gore films, including Zombie and The Beyond , although he made films in genres as diverse as giallo, western, and comedy...

 and the music of Goblin (band)

Goblin

A goblin is a legendary evil or mischievous illiterate creature, a grotesquely evil or evil-like phantom.They are attributed with various abilities, temperaments and appearances depending on the story and country of origin. In some cases, goblins have been classified as constantly annoying little...

 and Fabio Frizzi

Fabio Frizzi

Fabio Frizzi is an Italian musician and composer.Born in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, he is best known for his film scores. A frequent collaborator with famous horror director Lucio Fulci, his scores have become some of the most widely known in the genre.-Partial filmography:*Zombi 2 *Contraband *City...

, has influenced him to produce more atmospheric soundscapes encompassing folk, drone, and psychedelia. His album In Bocca Al Lupo fused this style with the doom and noise of Wolf Eyes

Wolf Eyes

Wolf Eyes is a post-industrial/noise band from Detroit, Michigan, United States.-History:Wolf Eyes began as a solo project of former Nautical Almanac member Nate Young, with Aaron Dilloway joining in 1998, and John Olson in 2000...

 and Sunn O)))

Sunn O)))

Sunn O))) is an American doom metal band known for its synthesis of diverse genres including drone, ambient, noise, and black metal. Supported by a varying cast of collaborators, the band has two core members: Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson .-History:Sunn O))) is named after the Sunn...

to produce discomforting and loud funereal music. This album, composed of four long tracks, was originally conceived as a single piece, and is inspired by darker themes from Christian dogma and mythology. Since his transition away from IDM, beat driven electronics, beginning with 'The Dead Sea,' Xela's rate of release has increased significantly.

Albums

• For Frosty Mornings and Summer Nights (2003)
• Tangled Wool (2004)
• The Dead Sea (2006)
• Heirs of the Fire (2008)
• In Bocca al Lupo (2008)
• Never, Better (2008)
• The Illuminated (2008) (as "Χελα")
• The Divine (2009)
• The Sublime (2010)
• Twells and Christensen (CD and LP collaboration with Matt Christiansen of Zelienople)

Xela has contributed remixes to:

• Gareth Hardwick - Aversions (CD)
• Yellow Moon Band - Remixes (LP)
• Soccer Committee + Machinefabriek - Remixes (CD)

External links