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Empire of the Sun's debut offering of experimental electro-pop and dance-rock is very well-timed, hitting the market just as the buzz surrounding MGMT's Oracular Spectacular has started to recede. Like those similarly colorful Americans, Empire of the Sun's two members embrace the glam lifestyle in spirit and song, wearing festive costumes in concert and festooning their music with oddball flourishes, androgynous lyrics, and a general sense of theatricality that borders on schizophrenia. Walking on a Dream runs an interesting gamut, sampling equally from hip-hop ("Swordfish Hotkiss Night"), arty synth pop ("Standing on the Shore"), and all the stops in between. With its programmed percussion and futuristic keyboards, the music sounds slightly more indebted to Pnau than the Sleepy Jackson; nevertheless, Luke Steele (the brains behind the latter band) takes center stage on the bulk of these songs, speak-singing in a childish tenor one minute and cooing like a lovestruck female the next. The aforementioned MGMT followed a similar path with their own debut -- a fact that simply cannot be emphasized enough, given the vast similarities between both records -- but while MGMT took cues from the likes of David Bowie and Prince, Empire of the Sun's fusion is more reminiscent of worldbeat and fantasy movie soundtracks. The outlandish cover art follows suit, as Steele and Nick Littlemore (dressed up in bizarre Star Wars-styled regalia) are flanked by a decorative elephant, a tiger, and what appears to be the skyline of Atlantis. Like the music it promotes, the cover art is purposely ludicrous, but listeners who have a palette for such whimsy should walk away happy.
© Andrew Leahey /TiVo
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Mike Marsh, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Vellajo, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, ComposerLyricist - Nick Littlemore, ComposerLyricist - Peter Mayes, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Jonathan Sloan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Marsh, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Vellajo, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, ComposerLyricist - Nick Littlemore, ComposerLyricist - Peter Mayes, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Donnie Sloan, Producer
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Jonathan Sloan, Composer - Mike Marsh, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Vellajo, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nicholas Littlemore, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, Composer, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Composer, Producer, Mixer, Recorder, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Donnie Sloan, Producer
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Jonathan Sloan, ComposerLyricist - Mike Marsh, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Vellajo, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, ComposerLyricist - Nick Littlemore, ComposerLyricist - Peter Mayes, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Donnie Sloan, Producer
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Mike Marsh, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Vellajo, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nicholas Littlemore, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, Composer, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Composer, Producer, Mixer, Recorder, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Mike Marsh, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Vellajo, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Nick Littlemore, ComposerLyricist - Peter Mayes, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Mike Marsh, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nicholas Littlemore, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, Composer, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Composer, Producer, Mixer, Recorder, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Mike Marsh, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nicholas Littlemore, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, Composer, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Composer, Producer, Mixer, Recorder, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Mike Marsh, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Vellajo, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nicholas Littlemore, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, Composer, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Composer, Producer, Mixer, Recorder, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Jonathan Sloan, Composer - Mike Marsh, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Vellajo, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nicholas Littlemore, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, Composer, Performer, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Composer, Producer, Mixer, Recorder, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Donnie Sloan, Producer
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, Composer - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Composer, Producer, Mixer, Recorder, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - William Bowden, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Graeme Durham, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Jonathan Sloan, ComposerLyricist - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, ComposerLyricist - Nick Littlemore, ComposerLyricist - Peter Mayes, Producer
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Chris Vellajo, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, Composer - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Composer, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - John Ruberto, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Losers, Remixer, StudioPersonnel
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Jonathan Sloan, ComposerLyricist - The Shapeshifters, Remixer, StudioPersonnel - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, ComposerLyricist - Nick Littlemore, ComposerLyricist - Peter Mayes, Producer - Leon Kischneck, ComposerLyricist
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd. and Nick Littlemore, under exclusive license to EMI Music Australia Pty Ltd.
Jonathan Sloan, Composer, Producer - Jeremy Wheatley, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Simon Davey, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, Composer - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Composer, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, Composer - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Composer, Producer
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, ComposerLyricist - Nick Littlemore, ComposerLyricist - Peter Mayes, Producer, ComposerLyricist
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Jonathan Sloan, Composer, Music Production, AssociatedPerformer - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, Composer - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Producer, Mixer, Recorder, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Oscar Gaona, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Jonathan Sloan, ComposerLyricist - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, ComposerLyricist - Nick Littlemore, ComposerLyricist - Peter Mayes, Producer - Shazam, Remixer, StudioPersonnel - Leon Kischneck, ComposerLyricist
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2008 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd. and Nick Littlemore, under exclusive license to EMI Music Australia Pty Ltd.
Graeme Durham, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Graeme Durham, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Empire Of The Sun, Producer, MainArtist - Luke Steele, Composer - Nick Littlemore, Composer - Peter Mayes, Composer, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
Artwork (C) 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore. ℗ 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
Album review
Empire of the Sun's debut offering of experimental electro-pop and dance-rock is very well-timed, hitting the market just as the buzz surrounding MGMT's Oracular Spectacular has started to recede. Like those similarly colorful Americans, Empire of the Sun's two members embrace the glam lifestyle in spirit and song, wearing festive costumes in concert and festooning their music with oddball flourishes, androgynous lyrics, and a general sense of theatricality that borders on schizophrenia. Walking on a Dream runs an interesting gamut, sampling equally from hip-hop ("Swordfish Hotkiss Night"), arty synth pop ("Standing on the Shore"), and all the stops in between. With its programmed percussion and futuristic keyboards, the music sounds slightly more indebted to Pnau than the Sleepy Jackson; nevertheless, Luke Steele (the brains behind the latter band) takes center stage on the bulk of these songs, speak-singing in a childish tenor one minute and cooing like a lovestruck female the next. The aforementioned MGMT followed a similar path with their own debut -- a fact that simply cannot be emphasized enough, given the vast similarities between both records -- but while MGMT took cues from the likes of David Bowie and Prince, Empire of the Sun's fusion is more reminiscent of worldbeat and fantasy movie soundtracks. The outlandish cover art follows suit, as Steele and Nick Littlemore (dressed up in bizarre Star Wars-styled regalia) are flanked by a decorative elephant, a tiger, and what appears to be the skyline of Atlantis. Like the music it promotes, the cover art is purposely ludicrous, but listeners who have a palette for such whimsy should walk away happy.
© Andrew Leahey /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 22 track(s)
- Total length: 01:42:51
- Main artists: Empire Of The Sun
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Capitol Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
© 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore ℗ 2009 The Sleepy Jackson Pty Ltd and Nick Littlemore
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