WATCH: ZHU Releases Latest Single “Yours” feat. Arctic Lake
WATCH: ZHU Releases Latest Single “Yours” feat. Arctic Lake
ZHU shares another track days before sharing his next full length record.
Words by: Ysabela De Ocampo
ZHU shares with us another slice of his upcoming record. The single, “Yours” featuring UK alt-pop artist, Arctic Lake, comes off of DREAMLAND 2021, which is set to release Friday April 30th. In the meantime, you can chew on this tensive track from the Chinese-American electronic artist.
Dissonant keys open up “Yours,” painting an uneasy track from the start with bouncing pulses to create a dramatic beat. ZHU’s crystalline voice shines right on top on the moody instrumental, and he’s accompanied by Arctic Lake. Her contributions create a conversation between two people aching for love everlasting. It’s darkness and anguish for love is heard in ZHU’s chorus, “I’m yours in the moment, I’m yours when I’m broken. I’m yours with devotion.” They harmonize seamlessly as the track turns from trepidation to a flighty droning instrumental. Mitch Bell [THEY., Tame Impala] interjects with sparse guitar moments, creating a searing statement in the track.
The cinematic music video is a film in itself. Cinematically shot in a dark urban nightscape, it’s modern setting is contrasted by old elements too. Arctic Lake dances to the beat of the boom box, ZHU cruises in a vintage BMW down a long empty street in the city’s outskirts. The video is swirling between Arctic Lake’s two-person dance party I her loft, and ZHU racing in the night past memories of her. The track closes with a brief, suspicious solo from Bell as ZHU coasts through an empty city at the break of dawn.
ZHU’s highly anticipated album, DREAMLAND 2021 features not only this latest release, but previously released singles “Sky Is Crying” ft. Yuna and “ONLY” — ZHU’s collaboration with Tinashe. ZHU crafted the record during quarantine, and imagines the record as the score for a world spinning back into motion. We can expect grimy techno and sweaty house tracks that are glossed over with ZHU’s slick vocals. “DREAMLAND 2021 is about looking forward and creating a version of the future we want to exist in,” ZHU says.
ZHU was born as Steven Zhu in the San Francisco Bay Area, he has made waves with his accomplishments in the music world. This Grammy Award-nominated producer explores limitless genres to bring life to his most extravagant visions. He is a firm believer in creating his own reality with precision and staying true to his original self. Since emerging from the underground in 2014, ZHU has been making advancements musically from his debut EP THE NIGHTDAY to break through single, “Faded” which earned a Grammy nomination. ZHU has now worked alongside artists like Bob Moses, Kito & Jeremih and 24kGoldn. His debut album GENERATION WHY, and sophomore release, RINGOS DESERT are successful stepping stones to his latest endeavor of DREAMLAND 2021.
