Bobby Krlic (born 20 December 1985),^[1] known by his stage name The Haxan Cloak, is a British composer, artist, music producer and musician.

The Haxan Cloak has released two full-length albums (2011's The Haxan Cloak and 2013's Excavation). As a producer, Krlic has worked with artists including Björk, Father John Misty, Khalid,^[2] Troye Sivan,^[3] Goldfrapp,^[4] serpentwithfeet^[5] and The Body.^[6] He has also composed several soundtracks, credited under his real name, including Ari Aster's 2019 horror film Midsommar,^[7] and television series Snowpiercer, Angel of Darkness^[8] and Reprisal.^[9]

Krlic was born and raised in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England.^[10] He is of Serbian descent.^[11] He studied music and visual arts at the University of Brighton.^[12]

In 2014, The Haxan Cloak toured the United States visiting Washington, DC, New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.^[40] He performed at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple along with Robert Henke and his music and light show, Lumière,^[41] and in Los Angeles with Pharmakon.^[42] The New York Times called The Haxan Cloak's set "amorphous, ominous and immersive, a transcendent plunge into darkness and overwhelming pressure". The Haxan Cloak performed a solo show at Manchester International Festival in 2017.^[43] Bobby Krlic also joined Björk on her Vulnicura tour in the U.S (including The Governor's Ball in New York) and Europe.

Krlic's music is almost entirely instrumental, and is often described as dark, carefully constructed, textured and atmospheric, with heavy bass and elements of drone metal.^[44][14] Of his albums, Krlic has said, "The first record was about a person's decline towards death, so this one's about the journey he takes afterwards." The name Haxan Cloak derives from the Swedish "häxan", meaning "the witch".^[44]

Excavation was rated a 9 out of 10 by Spin,^[15] and an 8.7 out of 10 by Pitchfork,^[14] who also named it the 29th-best album of 2013.^[14] Rolling Stone named it the 16th-best dance album of 2013.^[21]

Midsommar received wide critical praise including a 9/10 from The Line of Best Fit, ranked 2 in Insider's Top 20 Best Movie and TV Soundtracks of The Decade,^[45][46] and critic Glenn Kenny of The New York Times stating that “The remarkable music score by Bobby Krlic aka The Haxan Cloak is also a major contributor to the uncanny feeling the movie creates. Top Stuff."^[47]

• 2019: Midsommar – Nominee, Breakthrough Composer of the Year – International Film Music Critics Association^[48]
• 2020: Midsommar — Winner, Best Original Soundtrack – Ivor Novello Awards^[34]
• 2022: Returnal – Winner, Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition – D.I.C.E. Awards^[49]
• 2022: Returnal – Winner, Best Music – BAFTA Games Awards^[50]

Krlic was born and raised in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Krlic moved from London to Los Angeles in 2015.^[51] As of 2016, he resides in the Silver Lake area.^[52]