Experimental Indie Artist Stephen Explores Temptation In New Video For “Delilah”

Stephen Swartz, better known only as Stephen, had to take some time off from making music back in 2017. Affected by a bout with Lyme disease, the success of his 2016 debut LP Sincerely was halted following his tour. After recovering, he booked a trip to Thailand to rediscover and spiritually recalibrate with himself.

By allowing himself to become introspective and adventurous once again has brought on a renaissance of sorts to his music, and his latest single “Delilah”, off his upcoming album Akrasia, is a clear indication.

It’s hauntingly chaotic, and unexpectedly explosive, marrying the introspective self-realization from Stephen with the uncompromising artistic musicality. The infusion of psychology and self-exploration through drugs and sex gives the song and video a blanketed darkness that can only be captured through real experience and self-acceptance. Stephen explains:

“Delilah is the name I’ve given my shadow – my repressed, unrecognized potentials and desires,” says Stephen. “She is temptation. She is seduction. The process of getting to know her has been scary and exciting, a deep sense of self-acceptance and power reached through self-annihilation.”

Through a Facebook post, he elaborated on the song’s inspiration:

“…This last year I stumbled into a strange ritual. I would do a copious amount of cocaine, and while high, alone in my room, would put on dresses and makeup, imagine and feel myself as a female, indulge in seductive and fantastical aspects of my being I didn’t know existed. Many nights I made contact with a sex-crazed, fiendish side of myself. I experienced freedom and perspective through her that I can’t describe, but at the cost of really hurting my body, and for a moment there losing some self control…I’m honestly still making sense of it. I’m not a huge fan of cocaine, and I have no desire to be anything but a male, but the combination of a dopamine surge and my wild imagination sent me into this bizarre fantasy. It’s like I’m so attracted to the female that the only thing better than being close to one was being one. I will say this, it inspired an entire album”.

From emotive Radiohead-esque versuses, Stephen propels his sound into an avalanche of vigour and ferocity with each chorus. Shifting from his electronic origins, he leans on the rawness of acoustic instruments, from a swimming piano melody and crushing percussion, still adding in glitchy Son Lux-style textures – not to mention his spellbinding vocal style that has the ability to spontaneously shift into madness as he sings: “How can life be so mean and so free”.

Watch the mesmerizing music video below and hear this song and more on our Monthly Spotify playlist.