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JOSH RENNIE-HYNES – “MORNING STARS”
Australian-born, now Nashville-based indie-pop artist Josh Rennie-Hynes’ latest single “Morning Stars” continues his progression into a more electronic sound, while sticking true to his emotive songwriter roots. It’s the second single to be released from his forthcoming LP Light/Shade (out early 2023), and continues his knack of writing songs that linger long after the first listen.
“It’s a song that’s saying ‘I love you and I want to wake up next to you every day, let’s try to slow down a bit.’ I’m saying this to myself more than anyone as I often get lost in thought and tend to internalize things,” says Rennie-Hynes.
“Morning Stars” nods to some of the memorable pop artists of the 90’s like Dido or David Gray. Dreamy, punctuated synths open the song before strings airily waft into the verse set over a smooth electronic beat that pulses throughout. All this with a chorus that you can’t help but connect to and sing along with, “I only want to wake up / Wherever you are / I only want to wake up / Together with the Morning Stars.”
The music video for “Morning Stars” takes you on a whimsical journey opening with Rennie-Hynes on a cliff edge at sunrise at one of his favorite places outside of Nashville, Narrows of the Harpeth. Rennie-Hynes came up with the concept and put it to his friend and collaborator, Hanna Hall, a talented Nashville based director and creative who’s seen her career explode in the last few years. This is the fourth video the pair have worked on together.
“When I wrote the song with Kyle Henderson (Producer/co-writer),” says Rennie-Hynes, “I had the image of an astronaut in my head. I was trying to imagine how it would feel to leave the Earth after saying goodbye to your loved ones. When the concept came to me I immediately ordered the suit and helmet. Then I spent a few days making the dioramas. I wanted the whole video to feel like an astronaut sort of wandering through the land, trying his hardest to figure out how he can get back up there to the stars.”
Rennie-Hynes has always let his ever-changing creative desires lead the way, from his live-to-tape, chimey-guitar, rock ‘n’ roll LP Patterns (2019), to his synth-layered indie pop/rock album Day Rage (2022). Now, Light/Shade sees him once again following his instincts into an entirely new realm, starting with its first dark & sexy electro-pop single “When We Touch,” and now with “Morning Stars.”
“Morning Stars” shows Rennie-Hynes doing what he does best, creating songs that capture your imagination and show a true depth to his writing and artistic inclinations. Unhurried and in the pocket, “Morning Stars” is the song you didn’t know you needed as you stare into the winter night sky and move into the new year.