To begin with, Paul Kalkbrenner has unveiled his first new album in seven years with the announcement of The Essence, due this fall on B1 / Sony Music. Furthermore, as a preview, he joins forces with Stromae for ‘Que Ce Soit Clair’, a track that has already become a fan favorite at festivals and in club sets.
The single marks a reunion between the two Pauls, who first crossed paths in 2009 when Kalkbrenner remixed Stromae’s ‘Te Quiero’. Sixteen years later, they reconnect on equal footing, shaping a club-ready anthem of pounding kicks, pulsating synths, and Stromae’s urgent spoken-word delivery. Translating as “Just to be clear…,” the song conveys a message of love beyond borders, free of categories, nations, or origins.
Moreover, the single arrives alongside a striking video directed by Kelzang Ravach of Temple Caché, set in a surreal vision of Berlin nightlife. Through dreamlike visuals, the film places Stromae’s perspective at the center, capturing his disoriented arrival at Kalkbrenner’s feverish party. As a result, shifting canvases and immersive first-person imagery blur reality and abstraction, channeling rave culture at its most cosmic.
For Kalkbrenner, The Essence represents his most complete work to date. “This is an album I can truly stand behind,” he explained. Known for Berlin Calling, the global hit ‘Sky & Sand’, and headline performances at Tomorrowland and historic events like the Berlin Wall anniversary concert, he now delivers a project he describes as having “no filler moments—only the essential.”
Paul Kalkbrenner & Stromae collab‘Que Ce Soit Clair’ and its video are available now. The Essence arrives this fall.
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