Peeling away the layers of something often reveals something more pure, raw. When German artist Roosevelt pulled back one song to its barest form, he unraveled the deeper meaning of “Sign.”
Videos by American Songwriter
The video, shot at Roosevelt’s home studio, presents another side to the more house music throwback of the original, released earlier this year, with its contagious dance pulse. The first track Roosevelt wrote following second release, 2018’s Young Romance (Greco-Roman), the piano-drenched “Sign” hits deeper notes.
Stripped back, “Sign” reveals something more haunting, and heartbreaking as Roosevelt’s voice echoes through I remember it all like yesterday / Looking back, you won’t fade away / I know it won’t be like the start / Just been wondering when you changed your heart and repeatedly pierces chorus Come back and give me a sign of your love.
It’s all part of his experimentation. Roosevelt (born Marius Lauber) has already dipped into multiple genres, from deep house, yacht rock, and other textured dance music.
Since breaking out with his first EP Elliot (2013) and self-titled debut in 2016, which written, recorded and produced by Lauber over a two-year period, Roosevelt has already collaborated with Charlotte Gainsbourg, Chvrches, Classixx, and DJ’d internationally.
“At the core it‘s a ballad about loss and with this piano version I‘ve been trying to strip it back to that,” says Roosevelt. “Even though I love opulent and expansive productions, a good song to me always has to work in a very minimalistic way as well, mostly sitting at the piano or playing the guitar.”
