Empire Of The Sun

By Sueann Chong  •  in Detonate
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There have been a number of bands out there that have tried not only to feed the hungry ears of the easily bored new generation, but also to make new sounds that will one day be synonymous to their name. With music being around for as long as mankind, the latter is definitely an accomplishment not many will take to their grave. That’s why the electronic duo with their flawless disco chops and psychedelic rips, Empire Of The Sun, will probably be the closest you can find in a band of such today.

Just go on and press play on their 1st single and album title Walking On A Dream. If the voice sounds familiar, don’t worry you ain’t imagining anything – it belongs to Luke Steel of The Sleepy Jacksons. Steel only makes up half of ETS, the other consists of Nick Littlemore from the band Pnau. Both Steel and Littlemore are musical geniuses in their own right, and while ETS may have started off an experiment, they definitely have great chemistry together. Or perhaps starting off in different bands may have helped bring new sounds to this current one.

Although Empire Of The Sun has got nothing to do with the 1987 movie starring a young Christian Bale surviving on his own in Shanghai, their 1st single ‘Walking On A Dream’s vid was shot in Shanghai. Their debut album has already been receiving great reviews. The Guardian called them “a contender for 2009 album of the year” while Rolling Stone proclaimed that Walking On A Dream is “the biggest thing on the other side of the globe”. Their catchy electro-pop tunes are hot but we reckon tracks that could make it on top the highest list would be ‘Walking On A Dream’, ‘Standing On A Shore’, ‘Half Mast’, ‘We Are People’… on 2nd thought, forget the list, their whole bloody album rocks the socks off any music lover!

While the boys have probably produced a one-of-a-kind album to rival even MGMT, their dress sense and behaviour is a little peculiar. Think Star Trek meets Planet Of The Apes. In reference to their epic look, the pair told BBC, “we are superheroes. We are Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore”. Aren’t they superb! SC

Walking On A Dream is available at all good record stores. Hit up their myspace here.