ROOSEVELT - Roosevelt (10th Anniversary / Deluxe Edition / White Vinyl) 2LP

Ten years ago, in August 2016, Cologne-based singer, songwriter and producer Marius Lauber—known to the world as Roosevelt—burst onto the international music scene with his self-titled debut album. It was a unique record that caught the zeitgeist while possessing that rare, almost inexplicable timeless quality that only a handful of albums truly have. Ten years on, it still stands tall. Roosevelt's debut occupies a space entirely its own. It's one of those rare records you put on at home and find yourself moving to without quite realising it. And yet, for all its dancefloor instincts, it never celebrates the never-ending excess of club culture. Instead it gives free rein to Roosevelt's deep admiration for classic pop escapism. Drawing on the rich traditions of disco, house and tropicalia, the album distilled all of that into a sound that felt both deeply rooted and excitingly contemporary. Inventive early singles such as "Sea" set the tone, outstanding electronics, club energy matched with pangs of melancholy, all wrapped in gorgeous melodies, and the album more than delivered on their promise. Tracks like "Night Moves," "Moving On," and "Fever" are prime examples of the flawless electro-pop songwriting Roosevelt had been quietly perfecting, the work of an exceptional multi-instrumentalist at the peak of his early powers. Pitchfork captured it well, noting that every song contributes to an air of reverie, with one track languidly slipping into thenext. The response was everything a debut could hope for. Already championed by leading electronic music publications in the years prior, the album more than cemented his reputation. Sold-out shows and acclaimed festival dates followed across the globe, alongside remix work for artists including CHVRCHES, Rhye andGlass Animals. Now, ten years on, the album is being celebrated with a strictly limited anniversary edition, just 1000 copies worldwide, pressed on white vinyl in a gatefold sleeve. Alongside the original twelve-track album, a bonus LP brings together seven tracks including previously unreleased material and recordings not previously available on vinyl: midnight versions of "Close," "Colours" and "Wait Up," a piano version of "Night Moves," plus three rarities—"Teardrops," a cover of Womack & Womack previously only available on a sought-after 7", the early gem "Soleil," and a tender rendition of John Martyn's "Small Hours. "A fitting tribute to a record that started everything—the foundation of a remarkable career, and proof that Roosevelt had known all along what it takes to make truly excellent pop music.