Embrace

Roosevelt

September 22, 2023

Alternative / Pop / Disco / Synth-Pop

Celebrated producer, DJ, songwriter, and musician Roosevelt has announces his highly-anticipated forthcoming album Embrace (out Sept 22nd via Counter Records/Ninja Tune) and releases the thrilling advanced single ‘Paralyzed.’ The follow up to his acclaimed 2021 LP Polydans, Embrace is a sonically vibrant and deeply personal creative statement from the German multi-instrumentalist, who is quickly building a reputation as one of the world’s most innovative musical talents. The announcement of Embrace is accompanied by the release of ‘Paralyzed’, the third advanced preview of the new album following the recent releases of ‘Luna’ and ‘Ordinary Love’. Inspired by the feelings invoked by early 80’s disco, ‘Paralyzed’ finds Roosevelt in a lovelorn state, while layers of shimmering synths envelop a funky dance floor-ready bassline. Speaking on the track, Roosevelt says: “During a writing session in Barcelona, I was heavily influenced by early 80s disco, especially its bass lines, and listened a lot to singers like Melba Moore or Gwen Guthrie - there's something in these bass lines that is both uplifting and sad, which is something I'm always drawn to. Paralyzed grew from spontaneously playing a bass line, and when layering the rest of the instrumentation, I tried to give it that bittersweet feeling these old disco tracks have to me.” Written, recorded, and produced entirely by Roosevelt (the stage name of Marius Lauber), Embrace features deeply personal lyrics and emotive instrumentals unlike anything heard on past Roosevelt releases. Feeling alienated by the music industry & struggling with imposter syndrome, Lauber took his home studio on the road with the intent of fully immersing himself in the writing process like never before. Working with improvised setups in cities around the world, Lauber has crafted an album that sounds equally intimate and expansive, with kaleidoscopic synthesiser arrangements and addictive disco basslines throughout. The album’s title stems from Lauber’s realisation that upon turning 30, many of his childhood friends had settled for “real jobs” while he was still on the road living an artist’s lifestyle - the title “Embrace” functions as a note to the artist himself, a reminder to accept the unpredictable twists and turns that life has in store.