Bio

Ben Caplan has always been a musician who defies easy categorization. Over a 15-year career, his rich baritone, theatrical stage presence, and genre-blurring compositions have earned him a reputation as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary music. Now, with his upcoming project, The Flood, Caplan is pushing his artistry into uncharted waters, both literally and metaphorically.

Scheduled for release on May 23, 2025, The Flood is more than an album. It’s a deeply thematic exploration of loss, resilience, and renewal—an urgent meditation on what it means to live through a world that is, in many ways, ending. But instead of lamenting these changes, Caplan uses his music to grapple with the question: What do we carry forward? And how do we transform sorrow into strength?

“The world is ending for someone all the time,” Caplan explains when we speak. “But the endings aren’t absolute. Cultures, ecosystems, civilizations—they evolve, they adapt. There’s always something that survives catastrophe. This album is about finding those pieces of wisdom and joy and carrying them forward into the new world.”

The sonic landscape of The Flood mirrors this duality of destruction and renewal. Rooted in the folk traditions of Eastern Europe, Caplan’s compositions draw heavily from Klezmer, Romani, Serbian, and Moldavian musical forms. These influences, however, are not preserved in amber; they’re reimagined, transformed, and interwoven with modern production techniques. Clarinet lines soar over pulsing synthesizers; the lush timbre of a grand piano collides with the steady rhythm of a sequencer. The result is a kaleidoscope of sound that feels at once ancient and entirely contemporary.

Caplan’s work has always thrived on contrast, and The Flood is no exception. The album’s exuberant dance rhythms are often paired with lyrics that delve into existential despair. It’s a juxtaposition that feels deeply relevant in our current moment, where climate crises, social upheavals, and technological transformations collide to create a sense of collective disorientation. Yet, even in its darkest moments, The Flood pulses with an undercurrent of hope.

“We’re making dances that remember great loss,” Caplan says. “And laments that remember the promise of future joy. The music is about holding those two things together: the grief for what’s been lost and the joy of discovering and creating what comes next.”

With nearly 2,000 performances in 27 countries, Caplan’s live shows have long been celebrated for their raw energy and emotional depth. He has a rare ability to command a room, shifting effortlessly from raucous anthems to hushed, intimate moments. It’s clear that The Flood was designed with the stage in mind. The album’s seamless transitions and dynamic arrangements promise a concert experience that is as immersive as the record itself.

As Caplan prepares for the release of The Flood and the accompanying tours, he is already thinking about how the music will resonate with audiences. “Music has this incredible ability to hold space for people,” he reflects. “It allows us to feel deeply, to connect, to process. My hope is that this project can be a space where people can confront the grief of living through endings, but also find joy in what’s ahead.”

Ben Caplan’s The Flood isn’t just an album; it’s a call to action—to listen, to reflect, and to keep moving forward. In a world that feels increasingly fragmented, Caplan’s music reminds us that there is power in holding onto what matters, even as we let go of what’s been lost.