Where The Wild Things Really Are

A wellspring of funk.

Nick Littlemore of Pnau and Luke Steele of The Sleepy Jackson did us a splendid favor by collaborating to establish the funky fresh Australian duo, Empire of the Sun. Both seasoned vets of dance and pop projects, the two dropped their debut album Walking on a Dream in October of 2008 with Astralwerks.

Empire of the Sun tackles a troupe of sounds that evoke the powers of David Bowie and glam rock along with synth pop and hip hop. Harnessing a symbiotic blend of the familiar and the inventive they truly are a wellspring of funk as they trip the life fantastic at a full tilt boogie. Each track is well articulated, specifically defined and beautifully streamlined.

The artists are stretching themselves lyrically and musically. This is as much of a safari of sound for them as it is for the listener which is a commendable achievement. They have made themselves and their music tangible to the mere mortals. This album is sure to keep any listener on their toes for it is jam packed with an unbridled, primal surge.

The project as well as the 'never ending story' like persona cultivated in conjunction with the album were born out of both necessity and novelty. We were begging for it and we didn't even know it. With A+ jams such as We Are The People, Swordfish Hot Kiss Night and my personal favorite Tiger By My Side, Empire of the Sun serves as the soundtrack to my edgy 'breakfast club'. Ruling the music jungle these two are a welcomed haunting of my childhood days both audibly and visually.

This begs the question...where did I put my copy of Labyrinth?