Hello everyone it’s your host Daniel from Dulaxi, and today I have with me the extraordinary, Alex Tolm from Bruxelles, Belgium. And Alex Tolm is here to discuss his recent liminal album “Présence Absente” which was released on April 18th, 2026. So, welcome, Alex Tolm!. But before we begin our interview, to our audience; here is what you need to know about this artist.
Alex Tolm is a Belgian independent artist from Bruxelles, Belgium, who channels years of life experience into a deeply reflective and cinematic approach to songwriting. Operating outside the traditional music industry, he treats music as a personal creative space where memory, emotion, and storytelling intersect with maturity and restraint. His full-length album, “PRÉSENCE ABSENTE,” released on 18 Apr 26, stands as a cohesive, piano-driven body of work that explores the fragile boundary between presence and absence, and the lingering emotional void left by time, distance, and faded connections. Rooted in French-language poetic tradition yet shaped by modern Alternative Pop sensibilities, Alex Tolm blends Art Pop and dreamy Dark-Pop textures to construct an immersive sonic atmosphere defined by nostalgia, introspection, and subtle melancholy. Across the project, expansive synth layers and minimalist piano arrangements create a cinematic soundscape that feels both intimate and atmospheric, often carrying a “relaxing” yet haunting late-night quality. His work is marked by a deliberate focus on emotional depth over commercial direction, offering listeners a contemplative journey through quiet human moments, internal dialogue, and the enduring weight of memory, establishing him as a distinctive voice within contemporary Belgian independent music.
Having this brief Introduction about Alex Tolm, I’m sure new and current fans must be excited about our Interview today.
INTERVIEW SESSION
Daniel: As an emerging Belgian artist creating music outside the traditional industry system, how would you describe the artistic identity and philosophy behind Alex Tolm?
Alex Tolm: I see myself as an architect of sound rather than a traditional performer. My artistic identity exists somewhere between structure and emotional freedom. I balance a very grounded professional life during the day with complete creative independence at night. The idea behind the project is to create what I call a “Cerebral Cinema”, music that feels like a soundtrack to the listener’s inner world rather than simply entertainment or trend-driven content.
Daniel: Your music feels deeply cinematic and emotionally reflective. How have your personal life experiences shaped the atmosphere and storytelling approach behind your work?
Alex Tolm: Returning to music after a long hiatus allowed me to approach storytelling with a different kind of maturity. My work is shaped by years of observation, memory, and quiet reflection. I find inspiration in everyday life and urban solitude, those moments that most people overlook. I try to translate them into atmosphere rather than direct narrative, almost like emotional photography through sound.
Daniel: BXL Midnight Records has become closely tied to the identity of this project. What does the label represent to you creatively, and what kind of artistic vision are you building through it?
Alex Tolm: BXL Midnight Records represents complete creative autonomy for me. It’s a space where I can explore late-romantic harmony, electronic melancholy, cinematic textures, and ethno-influences without compromise. The vision is to build a cohesive artistic universe centered around immersive, studio-focused listening experiences, music designed more for emotional connection than commercial formulas.
Daniel: The title “PRÉSENCE ABSENTE” immediately creates a feeling of emotional distance and lingering memory. What inspired the concept behind the album, and how did you want listeners to experience that idea?
Alex Tolm: The concept came from the paradox of absence that still feels emotionally present. Sometimes people, memories, or moments disappear physically but continue occupying emotional space inside us. I wanted to explore those invisible presences that quietly shape our inner lives. My hope was that listeners would experience the album almost like a pause in time, a space where they can reflect on their own memories, distance, and emotional residue.
Daniel: Throughout the album, there’s a strong “night-time” aesthetic, quiet, haunting, reflective, and intimate. What draws you creatively toward that late-night emotional atmosphere?
Alex Tolm: I think many people are afraid of silence. We constantly try to fill it with noise, routines, notifications, or everyday problems because silence forces us to confront ourselves. The night is one of the few moments when that noise disappears. It offers a specific kind of privacy and honesty you only find when you think no one is listening.
With this album, I wanted to create a space where listeners could pause for a moment and actually listen to themselves emotionally instead of escaping into distraction.
Daniel: Songs like “Pardon, j’parle tout seul” feel incredibly vulnerable and personal. What role does solitude and internal conversation play within the emotional narrative of the album?
Alex Tolm: Solitude is really the emotional foundation of the album. “Pardon, j’parle tout seul” captures those internal conversations we have when memories become louder than reality. I think everyone experiences moments where they replay conversations, imagine responses, or continue speaking emotionally to someone who is no longer there. I wanted to capture that fragile psychological space honestly.
Daniel: Your lyrics often capture the human tendency to hold onto people, memories, and emotions that have already shifted with time. Why was that emotional tension important for you to explore on this record?
Alex Tolm: Because that tension is where a lot of human truth exists. We’re often shaped more by what we’ve lost than by what we still possess. The album explores the friction between memory and time, between wanting to preserve something emotionally while understanding that life keeps moving forward regardless.
Daniel: Across “PRÉSENCE ABSENTE,” there’s both melancholy and comfort existing side by side. What message or emotional truth were you hoping listeners would connect with most deeply?
Alex Tolm: I wanted people to understand that melancholy isn’t always destructive. Sometimes it can become reflective, intimate, even strangely comforting. There’s a quiet solidarity in realizing that feelings like loneliness, emotional distance, or internal silence are shared human experiences rather than personal failures.
Daniel: Piano arrangements seem to serve as the emotional heartbeat of the album. How did the piano become such an essential part of the sonic identity of this project?
Alex Tolm: Piano was my first musical language. I studied classical piano from a young age, and after years away from music, returning to the instrument felt almost like reconnecting with an older version of myself. For this project, the felt piano became the emotional anchor that grounded the more electronic and atmospheric elements of the production.
Daniel: The production blends Art Pop, Dark-Pop, and Synth Pop textures into something immersive and cinematic. How intentional was the creation of that dreamy late-night soundscape throughout the album?
Alex Tolm: Completely intentional. I wanted the production to feel like driving alone through a city at 2 AM, emotionally suspended between movement and stillness. Every synth texture, piano layer, and ambient detail was designed to support that atmosphere.
One thing that reassures me about the album is that I still discover new emotional layers and details in it myself. Sometimes it’s a small texture, a hidden harmony, or a subtle atmosphere I didn’t fully
notice before. For me, that’s probably the clearest sign that the project succeeded artistically. I wanted the record to feel like a film you revisit years later and suddenly experience differently.
Daniel: As both an artist and creative force connected to BXL Midnight Records, what was the process of building a project that feels so cohesive aesthetically, emotionally, and sonically?
Alex Tolm: The process was really about restraint and consistency. I removed anything that distracted from the emotional atmosphere of the record. Because I’m independent and not creating under commercial pressure, I had the freedom to focus on details and make sure everything, from the production textures to the visual identity, felt emotionally connected.
Daniel: Your songwriting carries a maturity and patience that feels rooted in lived experience rather than trends. How has your relationship with music and storytelling evolved over the years?
Alex Tolm: Over time, I stopped trying to impress people technically and became more interested in emotional precision. I’ve moved from being a student of classical theory to someone focused on creating atmosphere and emotional memory. Storytelling is no longer just about emotional release for me. It’s about honesty, restraint, and trying to capture something emotionally authentic.
Daniel: Creating an album this emotionally exposed must have required a certain level of vulnerability. Were there moments during the recording process that challenged you personally?
Alex Tolm: Absolutely. Returning to music after such a long break was emotionally difficult in itself. There’s a vulnerability in allowing personal memories and emotional states to become part of public art, especially while maintaining a very grounded professional life outside music. The album forced me to confront parts of myself I had kept silent for years.
Daniel: Choosing an independent path often comes with both freedom and pressure. What keeps you committed to creating music on your own artistic terms?
Alex Tolm: Freedom is the main reason. I never wanted to become trapped in expectations, trends, or the pressure to constantly perform publicly. Independence allows me to protect the emotional integrity of the project and focus on quality, atmosphere, and long-term artistic identity rather than short-term visibility.
Daniel: The world of “PRÉSENCE ABSENTE” feels very visually and emotionally specific, almost like a film unfolding in the middle of the night. How important is visual imagination when you create music?
Alex Tolm: It’s essential. I compose visually as much as musically. I always imagine scenes, textures, colors, movement, silence, almost like directing an internal film. I want listeners to not only hear the album, but also see it emotionally in their own minds.
Daniel: Looking back now, what do you think this album revealed to you about yourself, not only as an artist, but as a person navigating memory, emotion, and time?
Alex Tolm: It made me realize that silence was never the end of my relationship with music. In many ways, the years away from creating made my voice more honest and focused. Personally, the album taught me that vulnerability is not weakness. Sometimes it’s the only way to create something truly universal.
**Daniel: Since the release of the album, what kinds of listener reactions or personal stories have stayed with you the most?
Alex Tolm: I’ve been deeply moved by listeners who told me that songs like “Pardon, j’parle tout seul” felt like a reflection of their own late-night thoughts or emotional experiences. Those reactions matter a lot to me because they confirm that music can still create intimate human connection, even in a very fragmented digital world.
Daniel: Because the themes of loneliness, memory, and emotional absence are so universal, have you been surprised by how listeners from different places and backgrounds have connected with the album?
Alex Tolm: Honestly, yes. Even though the project is rooted in the French language and influenced by the atmosphere of Brussels, the emotional themes seem to translate beyond geography. I think solitude, memory, and emotional distance are experiences people recognize everywhere.
Daniel: Beyond this release, what future vision do you have for both Alex Tolm as an artist and BXL Midnight Records as a creative platform?
Alex Tolm: I want to continue exploring the intersection of classical roots, electronic textures, cinematic storytelling, and emotional minimalism. For BXL Midnight Records, the goal is to remain a space for carefully crafted, emotionally immersive projects that prioritize atmosphere and authenticity over trends. I want to continue building projects that people don’t just listen to once, but return to emotionally over time.
Daniel: Are there any upcoming releases, visual concepts, collaborations, or future projects that fans should be looking forward to in the next chapter of your journey?
Alex Tolm: I’m currently exploring a more international direction, with my next project planned entirely in English. I also want to push the visual side of the music further and expand the cinematic atmosphere surrounding the project. But the core idea will stay the same: honest emotions, strong atmosphere, and music designed for late-night listening.
Having Had A Close Listen To This Liminal Body of Work, Here’s My Thought.
“Présence Absente” by Alex Tolm is a beautifully constructed art-pop and dark-pop album that transforms emotional isolation, memory, and psychological fragility into an immersive cinematic experience. Throughout the record, Alex Tolm delivers deeply intimate vocal performances filled with restraint, vulnerability, and emotional exhaustion, allowing every lyric to feel painfully human and emotionally exposed. His voice constantly hovers between melancholy and detachment, perfectly embodying the album’s central themes of absence, loneliness, and fading identity. Rather than relying on dramatic moments, the album draws its emotional power from subtlety, silence, and atmosphere, creating a listening experience that feels intensely personal and psychologically immersive. Thematically, “Présence Absente” explores the emotional emptiness hidden beneath modern existence, examining social alienation, digital disconnection, grief, emotional fatigue, and the haunting persistence of memory. Alex Tolm captures the paradox of feeling invisible while physically present, turning emotional distance into the emotional core of the project. Musically, the album blends minimalist piano arrangements, ambient electronics, pulsing synth textures, and spacious production techniques that create a cold yet strangely comforting sonic landscape. The fusion of French poetic songwriting and atmospheric electronic production gives the album remarkable emotional depth, making “Présence Absente” feel less like a collection of songs and more like a late-night emotional descent through solitude, memory, and inner collapse.
~ Daniel (Dulaxi Team)
Finally to our audience, I urge to listen to “Présence Absente”, add the album to your playlist and be Inspired by it and on behalf of Dulaxi I like to appreciate you all by saying thank you everyone, See you on our next interview.
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