Love Seasons (Pt 1) – STEPH

Love is a powerful force that binds us together. The connection we all seek with one another has an endless powerful emotion that helps us feel closer to one another. This emotion can bring us joy in times of sadness and sadness in times of joy. No matter how it’s expressed, we’ll never tire of it.

On Steph’s EP Love Seasons Pt 1, she expresses her love stories through emotional R&B beats and rhythms. Heavily influenced by ’90s/00’s R&B idols such as Brandy, Toni Braxton, or H.E.R. the singer-songwriter opens with Intro 06. It features a deftly mixed, minimalist production that instantly showcases Steph’s R&B style, silky vocals, and soulful lyrics. Though short, it’s exquisite listening. See the video below.

With Missed Call, featuring GTFO Franky, the sweet bassline is perfect for late-night driving, which is echoed in the chorus – driving our way back home. The combination of soulful vocals and dreamy keys creates an atmosphere of bliss and nostalgia. Both vocalists complement each other in this duet, describing an unstable relationship that is on the verge of ending.

And you’ll need more open roads as the track glides into Seasons. The production here is smooth, and the drum beat is given the essential warmth by Steph’s vocals.

You can create the right ambience by lighting a candle and pouring red wine when returning home to the romantic single Lifetime. With its dreamy vibes, Lifetime is a soulfully sensual ballad that will make you fall in love. Throughout the EP, there is a sense of strength and sensuality.

I must confess, I dislike high-pitched voice effects used in modern R&B songs, and I was pleased Steph only introduced it on Underneath the Sun, and sparingly so. Here its used as a subtle twist on a pacy track.

There’s a fine line between imitating a stereotype and being inspired by the essence of a genre, and even though Steph succeeds by reaching beyond imitation, I would love to see even more of her personal touch. There are no dance floor bangers here, but rather Love Seasons (Pt 1) is a collection of songs created by an R&B lover for fans who want something more emotionally connected and laid back.