Given the monumental impact he has had on EDM over the years, news of the brand new Fritz Kalkbrenner 2024 album no doubt came as music to the ears of thousands of fans around the world. Born in East Berlin in 1981, the DJ and producer got his first taste of EDM via Germany’s vibrant Techno scene in the mid-1990s, before putting out his first solo release in 2010. He proceeded to deliver numerous top 10 albums including Sick Travellin and Ways Over Water, whilst simultaneously gaining a reputation as a consistently electrifying live act. This new release, Fitz Kalkbrenner – Third Place, meanwhile, looks set to continue the Berliner’s faultless legacy, featuring a captivating blend of House, Techno, Breakbeat and Dance-Pop that is sure to keep listeners hooked throughout.
The pulse of the dance floor looms large over the music featured on Fitz Kalkbrenner – Third Place, notably on tracks such as the opener Can’t Bring Us Down (a warm, cinematic blend of irresistible beats and inspiring lyrics) and second-half highlight See You Again (an atmospheric, immersive track that focuses chiefly on slick, dynamic rhythms). But whilst this new Fritz Kalkbrenner 2024 album was undoubtedly made for dancing to, there are also definite emotional and introspective undertones. This may in part be due to the album’s overarching concept – what the artist himself terms “spaces where creativity and community come together”, based on the sociological idea of the ‘third place’ – as well as Kalkbrenner’s deepening levels of experience and maturity that shine ever brighter on every album he releases. Moments that fall under this more emotive, contemplative banner include the euphoric Free At Last, the piano-driven Into The Night and the multi-layered, melodic Fall Between The Cracks, all of which come together to form a distinctive palette of musical moods and textures.
All in all, Fritz Kalkbrenner – Third Place makes for a true representation of the talent possessed by this inimitable producer, as well as a reflection of how much he has grown over the course of his rich, compelling career so far.
