Caleb L’Etoile writes songs like ghost stories — short, vivid, and impossible to forget. The Virginia-based multi-instrumentalist and producer blurs the line between indie pop and punk, weaving melody and emotion into cinematic vignettes that balance humor, grief, and the surreal. Influenced by artists like Arthur Russell, Modest Mouse, and Gilla Band, he thrives in contrast — tender yet abrasive, strange yet inviting. His upcoming fifth album, PS (out October 15), is a horror anthology in song form, transforming each track into a miniature horror movie that cements L’Etoile’s reputation as a restless, genre-defying storyteller.
L’Etoile has long since established himself as a daring, singular voice in modern post-punk. Still, his upcoming LP might be his most awe-inspiring release to date, and “Darling Pt. 2” is our first preview of the anticipated album. The lead single from PS has a dark, lo-fi, chugging energy that hints at a more eerie, experimental sound from the artist, allowing L’Etoile’s lofty visions to morph into living, breathing, roaming testaments to restless artistry. “Darling Pt. 2” balances blazing, searing tones with an infectious swing, forcing the vocals to collide with a distorted wall of sound, creating a sonic juxtaposition that is simply immersive. Attention is a fickle thing, and L’Etoile doesn’t want to waste the opportunity to immediately capture yours and take you on a freeing, cathartic journey. Once you press play on “Darling Pt. 2,” L’Etoile pulls you with a palpable energy aimed directly at your heart, making this new single a beautiful preview of what the artist has planned on PS.
“‘Darling Pt. 2’ is probably my favorite song on the record. It’s a rewrite of an earlier song called ‘Darling,’ and I wanted it to feel like walking back into a house you shouldn’t,” explains L’Etoile. “Everything’s the same, but something’s wrong in the walls.”
