Empire of the Sun - Ice on the Dune

A case could be made of our poor attention span when a band taking 4 years inbetween albums seems exasperatingly long. The problem is that Walking on a Dream was their debut: they only had new fans to disappoint with this wait, and I'm sure some will have moved on entirely. It's not like music has stagnated since the admittedly hit-and-miss debut. The same can be said of the men behind the band: Luke Steele's gone to write songs for Usher, Jay Z and Beyonce, whilst Nick Littlemore's kept working with fellow Australian electro-duo Pnau (most notably on a bizarrely fun album of Elton John remixes) and produced for Groove Armada. So they've been busy.

Of course, none of the newcomers quite live up to Steele and Littlemore's sense of style. Since Steele staggered across deserts in the mesmerizing video for their real breakthrough We Are the People, they've stuck in my mind at least as one of the noughties' most eccentric and identifiable performers. As a sideproject, it's rare that such imagery and mysticism is placed into their work - this album had the joyful preamble of a full-on theatrical trailer - and whilst cynics may pooh-pooh this as diversionary tactics for their generic music, at least they stand out.

Evidence of their eye for pomp needn't be sought for further than opener 'Lux'. A severely overworked anachronism when followed; it's another trailer for the main event, and such suspense and forced 'wonder' can become a little bit grating at the best of times. When it gives way to 'DNA' it's quickly forgotten, as their signature hazy-dune disco kicks in. That insularism and tropical quality of their music is rather aptly signposted, "no one will find us/ on our own island". Yet, far from wanting to be left alone and chill out, they want to party. 'Alive' is just as thumping and joyous as its title would suggest, and finds the duo in a romantic mood. The track has a touch of Basement Jaxx about it with its relentlessly bright and sunny disposition, and whilst it's not the strongest chorus you'll hear all year, it's a convincing pep talk. They trade pure dance for an EDM groove with 'Concert Pitch', a whispered dedication to a lover that's just as endearing and cute as its predecessor.

Their setting for the album's title is lavished upon with its title track, where we're teased "I know a hidden town/ It's high above the clouds/ A special place to be" with gorgeous falsettos and an overwhelming sense of euphoria. Perhaps a savvy move given 2013's refusal to let funk die, 'Awakening' then comes along with squelching synths and... dare I say Daft Punk-sounding (and particularly Lose Yourself to Dance)... vocals? It's not the only niggling sense of familiarity present: 'I'll Be Around' sees Steele emulating Neil Tennant for a brief moment, pleaing with us to "let [y]our inner mystic unravel tonight" over a dreamlike surrounding. Not all of IOTD is quite as beguiling as that: 'Old Flavours', for want of a better description, could pass for a recent Madonna single if you slipped some generic "I'm still young, look at me" lyrics over the top. Maybe it's just the coincidence of the next title reminding me of her recent dirge. 'Celebrate', too, sounds more derivative than innovative, and is a major step backwards for the otherwise interesting duo.

Out of nowhere, 'Surround Sound' bounces into focus. "Life-saving rays are speaking from a distant star", we are told, as we either nod enthusiastically in a transfixed state, or go along for the sake of it in case it ends up being fun. If the band are guilty of repeating sounds we've heard all before, they at least have the courtesy to rework them into something as palatable and melodically-sound as 'Disarm', a chirpy drum-machine number with more 80s background sounds than a Gloria Estefan album. For the second time, they end their album with a weird space-setting ballad that's not really what any of us came for, but manages to be rather enchanting.

Once you get past the inevitable shock and mourning of the absence of anything as anthemic as We are the People or Walking on a Dream, you can get over the initial disappointment (on first listen, I winced a few times) and...er...let the sunshine in.

Rating: 7.5/10
Highlights: I'll be Around; Surround Sound; DNA; Ice on the Dune; Alive
Avoid: Old Flavours; Celebrate

Artwork Watch: It is imperative that more acts pay attention to their elaborate headgear if pop is going to continue being interesting.
Up next: Beady Eye