Now available via B1 / Sony Music.
Photo credit: Paul Kalkbrenner – Official
Paul Kalkbrenner has unveiled ‘Que Ce Soit Clair’, a new collaboration with Belgian artist Stromae. The track marks the second single from Kalkbrenner’s forthcoming album ‘The Essence’, which is set to arrive this fall via B1 / Sony Music.
Their creative relationship began in 2009, when Kalkbrenner remixed Stromae’s ‘Te Quiero’. Now, over a decade later, the pair come together again with a piece built around relentless four-to-the-floor kicks, pulsing synths, and spoken-word vocals by Stromae. The track, whose title translates to “Just to be clear,” speaks to a love that transcends borders and labels.
The official video, directed by Kelzang Ravach of Temple Caché, portrays a surreal version of Berlin nightlife. Told from Stromae’s perspective, the dreamlike sequence follows him as he stumbles into a party helmed by Kalkbrenner, whose presence acts as a sonic guide. The film blurs the line between reality and hallucination through shifting canvases and immersive visuals.
“It reminded me of nights I experienced in Berlin — pushing a door without knowing where it would lead,” said Ravach. “That’s how I wanted the audience to discover this party: at once inside it and watching it, until Stromae appears, like a reveal, and we realise we’ve been seeing it through his eyes all along.”
Shot in a stylized Berlin apartment with retro aesthetics, ‘The Essence’ was developed over several years. Kalkbrenner calls it his most refined work yet. “It’s about the essential. This album I can truly stand behind. I consider it my best,” he said. “Other albums may have better-known hits, but always had fillers. This one has none!”
Listen to ‘Que Ce Soit Clair’ below and get your copy here.
Pre-order ‘The Essence’ here.
