• Drama
• Romance

ALEX TOLM - PRÉSENCE ABSENTE

Alex Tolm's latest album "Presence Absente" is a bold, original and emotional. These three words perfectly capture the essence of the record. Alex doesn't try too hard in this album. He is unabashedly himself which makes this work stand out. Tolm builds the record on what he calls “emotional composites.” That idea shapes everything here. They feel like blurred photographs from the past, the ones where the moment has past but still the memories linger. His day job as a civil servant in Belgium gives the project an interesting take. There is something grounded about the way he writes, even when the music drifts into more abstract spaces. The title, "Presence Absente" sets the tone early. It revolves around the idea of things that are no longer here but still take up space in your head. Like lost relationships, past versions of yourself, conversations that never really ended. Each track evokes a certain feeling basedon the central theme bringing together elements of hip-hop, RnB and rock. You can hear that tension in almost every track. It is not heavy in an overwhelming way but like a low hum that never really switches off properly. “Pardon, j’parle tout seul” stands out as one of the album’s most honest songs. The track feels like you have accidentally tuned into someone else’s internal monologue. Over here, Tolm is not a performer. He sounds like he is trying to figure things out in real time. That raw feeling gives the song a kind of intimacy that is hard to fake. There is also a strong late-night mood across the album. You can picture visuals of empty roads, dim streetlights, and that strange restlessness that hits around 2 AM. Tolm has said that some of these ideas come to him during those hours, and you can tell. The production leans into it with soft textures and space between sounds. Nothing feels rushed. Everything is given room to breathe. The entire album is in French that  is Tolm's mother tongue. You can hear echoes of Jacques Brel in the focus on storytelling, and a modern edge that recalls Stromae in how heavy themes sit next to rhythms. It never feels like an imitation, though. Tom talks about a “Bruxelles vibe” which comes through naturally, especially in the way he balances emotion with subtle groove. What makes Presence Absente click is how relatable it feels without spelling everything out. Tolm trusts the listener to fill in the gaps. That is why the album sticks with you. It does not hand you clear answers. It gives you a mood, and you carry it with you after the music stops. If you had to place this album in a visual world, it would fit perfectly in an emotionally charged film like Silver Linings Playbook. Read More

• 2026
• 34 min
• 9