10 Things You Didn't Know About Paul Kalkbrenner

If you want techno, German producer Paul Kalkbrenner is your guy. Over eight studio albums, has helped solidify the techno scene, one he's known since

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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If you want techno, German producer Paul Kalkbrenner is your guy. Over eight studio albums, has helped solidify the techno scene, one he's known since his teenage years.. He's been releasing tunes since 1999, with Bpitch Control putting out his first efforts, although his brand of tech house and techno in general has landed him on imprints like Cr2, although he's since moved onto his own Paul Kalkbrenner Musik label. Some of you might even know him from his role in Berlin Calling. But what do you really know about the platinum-selling Kalkbrenner's path? He's charted some interesting waters, but today, we decided to give you some more tidbits of interesting info on one of Berlin's most promising talents, in anticipation for the remix album that he's assembling for Paul Kalkbrenner Musik, in which his friends got the chance to remix any track of his that they chose. That's out on May 30, but get in tune to the artist right now.

He played Ickarus in the film "Berlin Calling"

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This one may be a bit more obvious to your seasoned fan of Paul Kalkbrenner, but to the newbie this fact is as essential as his essential mix, which includes some quotes from the flick.

He grew up in Berlin, and still lives there today

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You shouldn't call him a DJ

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He recently played to his biggest audience

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His song titles are tongue twisters

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And even if you speak German, you probably won't understand them

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He does keeps it real on his album titles

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His video for "Das Gezabel" is just a big Facebook photo album

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Well...not really. But it might as well be. The video was "shot" by two of his buddies who were basically taking non-stop photographs of Paul and his crew throughout the day. The video itself is comprised of over 12,000 individual photos that are synchronized and layered - sometimes as many as fourteen times.

He's a big deal in Germany

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He's the epitome of a musician for the true music fan

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When asked if he ever gets lonely on stage, Paul said, "Is it lonely up there? No! It isn’t lonely. You might think so if you are standing all the way in the back. And because of that distance that is there between the pit and myself. But I’m always so busy up there; I don’t even really like it when there are so many people dancing around me. I've heard that some people like it and that they specially organize a certain number of people who will be dancing up with or behind or in front of the DJ – I don’t really like it! It is a work area, a work space."

Kalkbrenner gets on that stage and goes to work. His only concern is to mix together a unique blend of ambient melodies and hold you under his spell for however long you will let him. Seeing Kalkbrenner perform live is a treat, and something that everyone should go out of their was to experience.

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