Released June 14, 2013
If two
words perfectly describe Empire of the Sun’s new release Ice on the Dune, “ice” and “dune” aren’t far from the mark. Mixing crisp melodic synth, round, deep bass,
and hypnotic vocals over laid-back, surf-rock beats, the Australian duo’s
sophomore release serves up a chilled-out dish equally suited for afternoons on
the beach and evenings on the town. In
many ways, the album represents a more refined edge to what producers Luke
Steele and Nick Littlemore presented in their last release, 2008’s
double-platinum Walking on a Dream,
whose title track won single of the year in Australia’s ARIA Music Awards of
2009. While Walking on a Dream had its hits, this release takes a step towards
icy refinement. Throughout the new record,
tracks consistently boast a driving dancablity from one to the next, smoothed
over with sensual vocals, and tightened together with a sharp synth present
throughout. Tracks like the Alive and Surround Sound are the perfect iced drink for both days in the sun
and nights out.
Ice on the Dune certainly boasts an
impeccable taste for detail in both production and melodic choice. However, if you’re picking up this album for
your own listening, be aware that the intro track to the record says very
little about the content of the release itself. As an attempt as an orchestral intro, Lux does very little in conveying the mood
for the rest of the pieces and comes across soft and fantastical rather than
crisp and icy like the rest of the tracks.
And if you’re a sucker for lyrics, don’t expect to be blown away in that
category, either, provided you can hear all of them. But, let’s be honest – Empire of the Sun’s
fun, precise style invites us to dance more than anything else. As a whole, the album feels like an iced
drink, sweating in the sun or a breeze off of Superior on a hot summer day.
Recommended
tracks: Alive, Awakening, Surround Sound