7fields’ somber acoustical take on The Strokes’ “Heart in a Cage” does what all good covers do – retain the original core of the inspiration, while transforming the style to fit the covering artist’s specialties. For Berlin-based Wolfgang Schrödl (7fields) – also known for work with his indie-pop group Liquido – this means producing pop with more personal closeness than most in the genre. “Even as a songwriter, I find it sometimes tempting to newly interpret existing compositions…” Schrödl says, continuing, “but only if I can highlight a facet of the song in which I recognize myself, allowing me to only hint at the original. Such was the case for ‘Heart in a Cage’.”
Acoustical trickles reminiscent of classic picking styles lead the majority of the track, alternating pace in coordination with the track’s peaks and valleys. Gentle piano flourishes are injected in the second half, as Schrödl’s intensity ticks up more, with the string-based alternation in the final minute providing a well-executed flash of creativity, which isn’t so common in most covers, 7fields does this one justice though.
