Stevan
Ontogeny
Album · Alternative · 2020 · Honeymoon
Stevan taught himself guitar by watching John Mayer videos on YouTube and started uploading his own songs to SoundCloud at just 13. Then he heard Stevie Wonder and Daniel Caesar and decided to learn some piano, then drums and, eventually, bass. The self-taught Wollongong artist isn’t just ambitious, he’s deeply talented—as his impressive output proves. His second mixtape, Ontogeny, comes just five months after Just Kids, and by the sound of this energetic, pop-infused R&B release, it’s clear he’s someone who never stops learning, absorbing, and experimenting with new textures and sounds.
Ontogeny refers to the study of an organism’s entire lifespan, from conception to death. It’s a fitting title for a release in which Stevan explores many of life’s powerful experiences: lust (“More Than Them”), ambition (“Onyx”), existential crises (“Impress You”). “I don't understand who I wanna be/I don't understand who I really am/But I bet you'd see me, I bet you'd see me through,” he croons on the animated, synth-driven “Impress You.” His musings are raw and earthy on the forlorn “OVA,” and he openly processes emotions on “SIA”—which also shows off his cheeky wordplay—and “Picture,” in which he slips into a double-time rap flow. He moves between styles with ease, whether vibing to sun-kissed Californian R&B or animated electronic beats. There’s a fresh, youthful sincerity in Stevan’s work that’s unique to the beginning of an artist’s career—and promises so much more to come.
Ontogeny refers to the study of an organism’s entire lifespan, from conception to death. It’s a fitting title for a release in which Stevan explores many of life’s powerful experiences: lust (“More Than Them”), ambition (“Onyx”), existential crises (“Impress You”). “I don't understand who I wanna be/I don't understand who I really am/But I bet you'd see me, I bet you'd see me through,” he croons on the animated, synth-driven “Impress You.” His musings are raw and earthy on the forlorn “OVA,” and he openly processes emotions on “SIA”—which also shows off his cheeky wordplay—and “Picture,” in which he slips into a double-time rap flow. He moves between styles with ease, whether vibing to sun-kissed Californian R&B or animated electronic beats. There’s a fresh, youthful sincerity in Stevan’s work that’s unique to the beginning of an artist’s career—and promises so much more to come.
Ontogeny
Stevan
Stevan taught himself guitar by watching John Mayer videos on YouTube and started uploading his own songs to SoundCloud at just 13. Then he heard Stevie Wonder and Daniel Caesar and decided to learn some piano, then drums and, eventually, bass. The self-taught Wollongong artist isn’t just ambitious, he’s deeply talented—as his impressive output proves. His second mixtape, Ontogeny, comes just five months after Just Kids, and by the sound of this energetic, pop-infused R&B release, it’s clear he’s someone who never stops learning, absorbing, and experimenting with new textures and sounds.
Ontogeny refers to the study of an organism’s entire lifespan, from conception to death. It’s a fitting title for a release in which Stevan explores many of life’s powerful experiences: lust (“More Than Them”), ambition (“Onyx”), existential crises (“Impress You”). “I don't understand who I wanna be/I don't understand who I really am/But I bet you'd see me, I bet you'd see me through,” he croons on the animated, synth-driven “Impress You.” His musings are raw and earthy on the forlorn “OVA,” and he openly processes emotions on “SIA”—which also shows off his cheeky wordplay—and “Picture,” in which he slips into a double-time rap flow. He moves between styles with ease, whether vibing to sun-kissed Californian R&B or animated electronic beats. There’s a fresh, youthful sincerity in Stevan’s work that’s unique to the beginning of an artist’s career—and promises so much more to come.
Ontogeny refers to the study of an organism’s entire lifespan, from conception to death. It’s a fitting title for a release in which Stevan explores many of life’s powerful experiences: lust (“More Than Them”), ambition (“Onyx”), existential crises (“Impress You”). “I don't understand who I wanna be/I don't understand who I really am/But I bet you'd see me, I bet you'd see me through,” he croons on the animated, synth-driven “Impress You.” His musings are raw and earthy on the forlorn “OVA,” and he openly processes emotions on “SIA”—which also shows off his cheeky wordplay—and “Picture,” in which he slips into a double-time rap flow. He moves between styles with ease, whether vibing to sun-kissed Californian R&B or animated electronic beats. There’s a fresh, youthful sincerity in Stevan’s work that’s unique to the beginning of an artist’s career—and promises so much more to come.
