Paul Kalkbrenner’s new single lands with a groundbreaking music video. The track, “Schwer,” Kalkbrenner’s first release since 2021, takes inspiration from the German word “Fremdkörper“ or foreign body, which is used as the film concept.
“Schwer” builds as an ongoing loop of scenes we all know from our daily lives. Each appears completely normal at first, but every time we revisit a scene the content slightly alters, building an arc from normal life to complete absurdity. The camera moves through these scenes, making the viewers wonder if what they see is real or not. All empty backgrounds of the video are shot throughout Berlin to which the characters are added.
Rather than using actors, digital technology was deployed to render 4D-volumetric people in place. This used 42 camera capture to lock the motion of each person, making it possible to be used as a 3D element within the final film. The technology allowed each scene to be a canvas, where we could paint carefully created compositions that match the part of the songs and the overall arc of the video. Anima, the AI-powered design-to-code software, was behind the work, which is usually deployed for architectural visualizations but was repurposed for this project.
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Commenting on the film, Paul Kalkbrenner said: “Incredible. This volucap technology is really another level. I feel very privileged to be able to work with Jovan, Mother Berlin, BWGTBLD, and everyone else involved in this video. It couldn’t be more on point.”
“Schwer,” as its English translation suggests (hard/heavy/tough), is a hulking track suited for the massive stages that Paul Kalkbrenner is most familiar with. A minimal but dancefloor-ready synth line takes the lead while calculated hi-hats tick like clockwork at a cool 131 beats per minute. The track is unequivocally PK, leaning into his well-established sound for his first independent release following his stint with Sony Music.
Over the past two decades, Kalkbrenner has built a reputation unlike any other electronic music artist, releasing 8 albums, headlining stadiums typically reserved for rockstars, and creating a transcendent journey with his live performances using only his own music. An uncompromising talent whose career remains intertwined with techno, Paul’s pioneering ideas have cemented his position as a figurehead of his generation. In 2023, Paul is back on the festival circuit, bringing his unique live show for performances across both weekends of Tomorrowland in Boom, Belgium (and Tomorrowland Brazil), as well as several stops in Ibiza and a homecoming show at Berlin Wuhlheide.
Paul Kalkbrenner Upcoming Tour Dates
July 14 – Dour, Belgium – Dour Festival 2023
July 15 – Airbeat One Festival 2023 – Neustadt-Glewe, Germany
July 16 – Les Vieilles Charrues 2023 – Carhaix-Plouguer, France
July 21 – Sunrise Festival 2023 – Kołobrzeg, Poland
July 22 – Tomorrowland 2023 – Boom, Belgium
July 23 – Berlin Wuhlheide – Berlin, Germany
July 30 – Tomorrowland 2023 – Boom, Belgium
August 4 – Metamorfosi @ Amnesia – Ibiza, Spain
August 11 – Brunch! Electronik Festival 2023 – Barcelona, Spain
August 12 – SommeMondSterne XXV 2023 – Saalburg-Ebersdorf, Germany
August 13 – Insane Festival 2023 – Apt, France
August 14 – Summerdaze Malta 2023 – Attard, Malta
August 15 – Red Valley Festival – Olbia, Italy
August 19 – Tanzinsel Open Air 2023 – Würzburg, Germany
August 20 – Echelon Open Air & Indoor Festival 2023 – Bad Aibling, Germany
August 25 – Touquet Music Beach Festival 2023 – Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, France
August 26 – Zürich Openair 2023 – Zürich, Switzerland
September 10 – Decibel Open Air 2023 – Firenze, Italy
September 16 – ANTS 10 Ushuaia Ibiza – Ibiza, Spain
September 17 – Brunch! Electronik Festival Paris 2023 – Paris, France
September 23 – Beonix Festival 2023 – Limasol, Cyprus
October 14 – Tomorrowland Brasil 2023 – Itu, Brazil
