Empire Of The Sun announce new album 'Two Vines'
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Alt-electro pioneers Empire Of The Sun welcome you into their garden of unearthly bliss as they return with their third studio album ‘Two Vines’, set for release on October 28. Through a waterfall of dreams, beyond the white light of an ice curtain lies a lush, green world where childlike innocence and ancient wisdom are one. Enter, Empyrean pilgrims, the jungle paradise that marks the third incredible age of the Empire of the Sun...
We are given a taste of this dreamlike kingdom, as the band unveil two new tracks. 'High & Low’ the first song to be released from the album was premiered on LA’s KROQ radio and the title track ‘Two Vines’ got its world premiere on triple J.
“There was an image we talked about very early on with this record, before we wrote the title track, Two Vines, and that was this image of a modern city overtaken by jungle, almost like mother nature taking back the planet,” says Nicholas Littlemore, the co-pilot with Luke Steele of this fantastic vessel of electro-futurist sound and vision. “All the buildings will turn back to sand. All it will be is nature again. We wanted to make something that reflected the beauty of that.”
Recorded in Hawaii and Los Angeles, Two Vines is co-produced by Empire Of The Sun and Peter Mayes (Sia, The Killers, Mika), alongside longtime collaborator Jonathan Sloan and it sees the creative circle expanding, with esteemed pianist/arranger Henry Hey and bassist Tim Lefebvre, from David Bowie's Blackstar band, featuring heavily on the album. Factor in Wendy Melvoin from Prince's Revolution and Fleetwood Mac’s genius guitarist/vocalist Lindsey Buckingham, and the Empire's rainbow has never been so vast and colourful.
“Going to Hawaii to record was the best idea,” says Luke Steele of sessions at Honolulu's Avex Studios — where Kanye West holed-up to make My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in 2010.“That was the catalyst for me. I’d spend the morning surfing then roll in and make music into the night.”
Whilst the band have been absent from Australian shores, their constant U.S touring has continued to build a huge audience and profile with the band most recently selling out the prestigious Hollywood Bowl. Their live show has become the highlight of many global festivals with its larger-than-life production featuring stunning visuals, dancing swordfish girls, cryo-bazookas and otherworldly special effects. SPIN praised the band’s Coachella performance, observing: “The easiest way to blast off wasn’t with MDMA, LSD, peyote, or any other mind-expanding drug. It was with sci-fi Australian dance outfit Empire of the Sun, whose set at the Outdoor Theatre was out of this world.