PAUL KALKBRENNER

Over more than two decades, Berlin's Paul Kalkbrenner has gone from the underground to the top of the charts, starring in and soundtracking a film along the way, all without compromising his grand techno sound. As DJ Ickarus in 2008's Berlin Calling, he gave the world "Sky and Sand", made with his brother Fritz. He's a live act at heart, rebuilding his tracks on stage, and his shows have taken electronic music onto festival and arena stages usually reserved for rock stars. In 2025 he released The Essence, his first album in seven years, featuring "Que ce soit clair" with Stromae and "Dreaming On", built on a sample of Depeche Mode's "Dream On".