Pitchfork

Sort of like a dream? No, walking on one. Australia's Empire of the Sun are dance music duo Pnau and Luke Steele of schizophrenic indie-poppers the Sleepy Jackson. In their first effort floating around online, they're remixed by Sam La More, programmer for Gwen Stefani's "What You Waiting For?", among other production and remixing credits. The result, "Walking on a Dream (Sam La More 12" Remix)", is an eight-minute dance-pop single that's as exuberantly catchy as it is lush and hypnotic, like the shouty, blissed-out pop of the Tough Alliance set somewhere above the clouds of cosmic disco.

Empire of the Sun's vocal hooks build from half-spoken chant-alongs ("We are always running for the thrill of it") to the sweetly euphoric, largely indecipherable falsetto of the chorus. Their spacey electro-pop backdrop starts with a crisp house rhythm and reverby, Italo-informed synth sounds similar to those on Simian Mobile Disco's "I Believe". It's when the beats cut out, though, encircling those laddish voices in swirling programmed textures, then return with a fanfare of synthesized handclaps, that the pacing and structure of the track make its spellbound ecstasy most palpable. Unfortunately, there's no original version of "Walking on a Dream" available for comparison just yet, but it's hard to how imagine how they could improve upon this remix.

MP3/Stream:> Empire of the Sun: "Walking on a Dream (Sam La More 12" Remix)" (you'll be asked to give an e-mail address to download the mp3 but you can stream it here.)

[from WalkingonaDream.com]