Cale Parks became a fixture of the American underground behind a drum kit — a founding member of art-rock outfit Aloha, and the rhythmic center of Yeasayer and Joan of Arc. An Ohio childhood and years spent touring left him restless for something more nocturnal.
What followed was a slow migration from the stage to the booth: a decade in New York City as an in-demand session player by day, a DJ finding his own frequency by night. His work today moves between deep house, balearic, and lounge — built with a drummer's instinct for the body as an instrument, and a producer's patience for the details most people rush past.
That patience has a way of traveling. His own track "N1" once sparked someone else's: French duo Paradis reworked it into "Contours," a highlight of their classic album Recto Verso — a song Cale helped write.
Drummer. Producer. DJ.
Selected Work
He's spent time behind the kit with Aloha, Yeasayer, and Joan of Arc, and contributed studio percussion to Passion Pit's Manners. His writing has landed him a co-writing credit with French duo Paradis, and a home on labels including Polyvinyl Records, Have A Killer Time, and Rothmans, a UK vinyl-only imprint.
Releases
Crispy Reds (2024) is the latest solo release, alongside Planet of the Year and Boards — the catalog stretches back to 2015's N1. Streaming on Spotify.
In 2025, he teamed up with longtime friend Callan Clendenin — formerly of Lemonade — for a one-off collaboration, Cale & Cal, four tracks out on Bandcamp and Spotify.
DJ Mixes
Recorded sets and mixes on SoundCloud.
caleparks@gmail.com