Empire Of The Sun - Alive

Australian duo Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore AKA Empire Of The Sun (along with invisible band member Peter Mayes of PNAU), garnered critical acclaim for their first release "Walking On A Dream" back in 2009. The album spawned worldwide hits such as the title track and "We Are The People", which hit No. 1 in several countries across Europe due to use in a Vodafone advert. The band release their second album "Ice On The Dune" on June 17, which is said to have a "timeless" sound according to Mayes. The first track from the record to be unveiled is "Alive", which is free when you pre-order the new album on iTunes. The anthemic track, which features Steele's distinctive lead vocal, is clearly influenced by recent PNAU releases with its sweeping synths and atmospheric sound. RATING: 8/10