May Roosevelt
Mike Rafail
May Roosevelt is a Greek producer who’s also an accomplished thereminist, and the videos of her performing with her instrument are truly jawdropping. As a self-professed devotee of Björk, Bach, and Klaus Nomi, her thoughtful music is inspired by classical composers as well as electronic innovations — and on her new album Junea (out October 23 via Inner Ear) she hones her avant-garde instincts to create whirring industrial pop with shimmering melodies. Today The FADER is premiering album opener “Air,” where Roosevelt loops and layers her voice amidst darkwave electronics, as the track plays off moments of tranquility with propulsive rhythms that make you want to move.
Over email, Roosevelt explained: “’Air’ is about embracing loneliness, searching and discovering, and was created out of the need to shape an upbeat and bright sonic environment. I draw visual parallels to a hike towards this alpine lake of northern Greece called Tymphe. There, the mountains stand tall, the reflection of the clouds slide on the surface of the water, and the bright sun makes the snow sparkle at the lake's edges. Inspired by this setting I also created a 3D illustration of the track which was placed on the inner sleeve of the [Junea] vinyl."
Listen to “Air” below: