B-Side Guys

Naming a song after Earth’s deepest oceanic trench creates immediate thematic tension—what appears initially as geographic reference quickly transforms into existential metaphor. Caleb L’Etoile’s “MARIANA” leverages this double meaning throughout its composition, creating music that feels simultaneously buoyant and pressurized.

The Virginia-based multi-instrumentalist has described this fifth single from his evolving “living album” as his most accessible offering yet, though this accessibility doesn’t diminish its conceptual weight. L’Etoile’s approach to alt-country incorporates subtle electronic elements that create productive friction against traditional instrumentation. This hybrid approach perfectly complements the song’s narrative tension, where intimate relationship dynamics unfold against societal breakdown.

What distinguishes “MARIANA” from standard apocalyptic fare is L’Etoile’s focus on pragmatic intimacy rather than grand philosophical statements. When he references having “a bag full of cash” and gas in the tank, he transforms end-times preparation into tangible expressions of care. This grounding in specific detail prevents the song from collapsing into abstract doomsaying, instead presenting collapse as personal rather than theoretical.

The track’s arrangement deserves particular attention, especially the guitar solo from Justin Hla-Gyaw (of Wandering Years), which arrives not as technical showpiece but as emotional punctuation. This collaborative element enhances the song’s communal ethos, suggesting that even as systems fail, interpersonal connections offer potential salvation.

By framing societal collapse through relationship dynamics and escape fantasies, L’Etoile has created something increasingly rare—apocalyptic music that offers neither naive optimism nor paralyzing despair. Instead, “MARIANA” suggests that as we sink collectively into uncharted depths, our capacity for connection remains our most valuable survival tool.