Multi-instrumentalist and producer STEPHAN, also of band Current Blue, released his third album, melodrama, on Friday. The 8-song project is a melancholic, genre-melding rap-meets-bedroom-pop exploration.
melodrama experiments with plenty of lofi moodiness, unexpected instrumentation, and electronic flourishes. Much of the rapping calls to mind the likes of Mac Miller, but there’s also touch of early 2000s alt-rock spirit throughout many of the tracks, lending the album a unique sonic feel. Narrative-style introspective lyrics detail the scenery of young adulthood, delving into the complicated feelings that go hand-in-hand with late nights.
The first track, “silent hill” featuring JD Moon, opens the album with a dark dreaminess that bleeds into a bold beat. Title track and final song of the album, “melodrama,” begins with atmospheric piano and features the most earnest and frenetic vocals as STEPHAN raps and sings. Ethereal female backing vocals round out the track, closing the album on a pensive, forlorn note.