Empire of the Sun
EMI Australia / Virgin UK (2008 / 2009)
Download: “Walking On A Dream”
It has taken a bit of time for Australia’s Empire of the Sun to make their way to our fair shores here in Europe / US. Their debut release is a breezy blend of catchy clubby beats, high hats and falsetto choruses. The project sees Nick Littlemore of the sample-happy, electro-dance group Pnau collaborating with vocalist / guitarist Luke Steele of The Sleepy Jackson (whose album Lovers is still a favorite). Sure, Walking on a Dream is an indulgent and quirky exploration of disparate sounds that the duo have clearly been excited to try for some time, some attempts which they pull off with considerably more aplomb than others. That being said, the group’s sound is infectious polished pop in the MGMT / Phoenix vein.
The title track is a hook-laden highlight of when the project does meld, bringing together what each musician does best. The clip for the title song was filmed in Shanghai and provides yet another glimpse into the eccentric Mr. Steele.
Expect to be hearing a lot more about Empire of the Sun in 2009.
Download the Sam La More (Nick Littlemore’s brother) Remix of “Walking on a Dream”: http://www.walkingonadream.com.au/
Walking On A Drea (Official) | MySpace