Love Letter To A Record: Hi Motive’s Ed Rose On ZHU’S ‘In The Morning’

Music Feeds’ Love Letter To A Record series asks artists to reflect on their relationship with music and share stories about how the music they love has influenced their lives.

Eora/Sydney-based electronic duo Hi Motive have just revealed their stimulating new single ‘Stranger’ – self-produced by the group and mixed by Anthony Garvin of Forbes Street Studios (What So Not, Ninajirachi, Human Movement).

Here, member Ed Rose confesses his love for ZHU’S 2016 LP, In The Morning; a major musical inspiration.

Hi Motive’s Ed Rose on ZHU’s In The Morning

Dear In The Morning,

You are a mystical goddess. You’re that person at the party who walks into the room with a crew wrapped around you. You make everyone turn their head, partially in fear but primarily in awe, and everyone stands there captivated by your elusiveness. Just like your creator ZHU, you’re masked by shadows and veils, never letting your mysterious face be seen in clear view.

Lead single ‘In The Morning’ is equal parts moody, intense and chilled at the same time. With its echoey falsetto vocal line telling you to ‘touch me in the morning’ and teardrop-like plucking synth notes, it is the perfect song to play driving late at night with the windows down, or at the end of the night lying on your bed staring through the roof as you wind down.

While most will remember ‘Faded’ as the song that kickstarted ZHU’s fandom in Australia, this has always been our absolute favourite ZHU track. We first heard it live at the FOMO Festival in 2019, where ZHU absolutely ripped the place apart. This song is a constant source of inspiration for us. It’s got so many layers to it and is just so clean and lush.

The opening line of the song says ‘I only call when I’m alone’ – you’re never alone my love, we’re always right here with you.

STREAM: Hi Motive – ‘Stranger’

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