Empire of the Sun seems to me to be the perfect band for the current internet age. Their fashionably-grandiose synthesised dance music is complemented by cinematic video clips and outlandish costumes that should make them a hit on YouTube. It is perhaps for these reasons that I found listening to the album, without all the visual window-dressing, to be somewhat underwhelming.
Ice on the Dune is undoubtedly a finely-produced album. Each track contains layer upon layer of synthesised keyboards, guitars and vocals that are nicely balanced with pulsating electronic beats. The effect is epic, but after listening to four consecutive tracks where everything is turned up to 11, I started to find Ice on the Dune impenetrable. The lack of variation and repetitive song structure from track to track also left me feeling disappointed that Ice on the Dune was not living up to the eccentric image Empire of the Sun projects of itself.
Nevertheless, album opener ‘Lux’ is wonderful and strange, featuring a lush orchestral arrangement that wouldn’t be out of place in one of those monumental Biblical films from Hollywood in the 1940s. ‘DNA’ follows as an enjoyable dance track, where the epic-ness is found in the lyrics, as singer Luke Steele connects his own birth to the progression of all of time and history, evoking the images of Dreamtime and ancient cultures that feature so prominently in Empire of the Sun’s visual output. Lead single ‘Alive’ continues in this vein, employing similar sounds to construct a slick dance vibe with the same 4/4 beat that can be found on most tracks on Ice on the Dune. By this point in the album, I started longing for a little bass to create some diversity and warmth within all of the cold electronic treble.
Title track ‘Ice on the Dune’ provided some respite, with Steele producing a gentler, sweeter vocal supported by layered harmonies, and at one point during the song I actually heard the strings of a real guitar being strummed by a human hand! My desire to hear some real instruments may make it clear that this isn’t necessarily my type of music, but the fact remains that there is not a great deal of diversity of sound on Ice on the Dune.
The album closes with ‘Keep a Watch’, which was by far my favourite track. The wall of synths is pared back to make room for a really nice, sensitive vocal delivery from Steele, and the half-time tempo instantly makes the song stand out from the rest of the album. With looping strings and chorus-like backing vocals the grandeur of the rest of Ice on the Dune is still present, but it’s delivered with subtlety and feeling, and for me was one of the only moments on the album where the sound reflected the unique and beautiful visuals of Empire of the Sun.
6/10
Reviewer: Frances Bulley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jICejjRZXM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFuCB997-5c