Queer music icon Caleb De Casper returns with an exciting new single today, “Sik Culture,” which is a pop disco darkwave track co-written between De Casper and Jonathan Horstmann of synthwave darklords Urban Heat. The collaborators delve deep into humanity’s obsession with apps and virtual identities with the results landing sonically somewhere between Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” and Depeche Mode’s finer moments, performed at the symphony.

“Sometimes I feel like the world is on its way into the abyss because we have all let technology warp, corrupt, and replace our value systems, ” De Casper says. “When I feel chaos or impending doom I often look to what the artists are doing…we are the ones who will give the perspective to set things right. And if you can dance to it, even better.”

The single is produced by Ribongia (Haiku Hands), mixed by Billy Hickey (Lana Del Rey, Ariana Grande, BlackPink), and mastered by Max Lorenzen (Christeene, Tele Novella, Bayonne), and made its debut at the sold-out, KUTX-sponsored Indie Orchestra event at PBS Studios in February 2024, where it was performed with a full orchestra and choir and was subsequently sent to the airwaves. This lush, delicate version of the song influenced the final production.

Hickey shared his enthusiasm for the project, saying, “I really enjoyed working on Caleb’s music because it’s such a fun blend of pop-sensibility with far-reaching, unique, and different influences that really paint a compelling picture and experience in the song.”

This new release marks a significant evolution in De Casper’s sound, showcasing his iconic queer artistry with a fresh, more sophisticated and bold approach. And while the sound has matured, fans can still hear that trademark theatrical sensuality in “Sik Culture”, while reveling in its more refined production. 

Catch Caleb De Casper at his single release party at Vinyl Beauty Bar in Austin, Texas, tonight. Get tickets here.

Photo by Adrienne Lake.