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Marius Lauber, aka German producer Roosevelt, returns with the first new single since his sophomore album Young Romance in 2018. "Sign" is a pared-back piece of hyper-melodic digitalism, a cinematic ballad about loss and hope with a pulsating antique drum machine as the bedrock. Sparse and dazzling at the same time, "Sign" is a prime example of Roosevelt's deft craftsmanship, paying homage to early house and vintage pop. The new track is a musical return to Roosevelt's roots in dance music - there are no guitars or live drums - it's all computer love:
"I wanted to make something intimate, so I started with these spherical Juno 60 chords. When I added rhythmical elements, I realised that the track could work in a dance music world - I normally record a lot of real drums but stripped this one back to just an 808 beat. A nice contrast between the intimate feeling of the synth and the dancefloor qualities of the vocal sample, bass line and 808 started to emerge. I found it really inspiring to make something that's initially made for listening alone on your headphones, but that hopefully can come alive in the near future when played out at a dance club or festival and create a form of unity again."
Roosevelt is and always was a dedicated music lover, with a rich knowledge of several decades of music, from yacht rock to Balearic textures, house euphoria to sub-zero techno, he's drawn to all forms of dance music. Guided by the emotional and physical connection to music, he uses his outstanding skills in electronics to create music that pushes and pulls between the body and the mind. It's the warm emotional touch that drives his music and made people fall in love with his tunes since his very early singles, his outstanding debut album 'Roosevelt' (2016) and the bold, addictive follow up 'Young Romance' (2018). And it is Roosevelt's warm emotional touch that also drives 'Sign' forward again.
When not locked in his studio cranking out the hits, Roosevelt is also an in-demand producer, collaborating with Classixx and
Washed Out or remixing artists like Rhye, Chvrches and
Charlotte Gainsbourg. Alongside his successful live career, relentlessly touring with his band all over the world, he has also DJ'd at landmark clubs like Berlin's Panorama Bar and London's Fabric, rocked festivals such as Primavera Sound, Glastonbury, while also appearing on Boiler Room.
"The German producer whose listless disco could be from Manchester, LA, Ontario, even outer space." The Guardian
"Dance music that balances outright escapism with wistful melancholy." Pitchfork
"Astute production, well-crafted lyrical content, enticing chords, beautiful melodies and sun-soaked choruses." Paste
