On July 26, Empire Of The Sun released their long-awaited and fourth studio album, Ask That God. Following an eight-year hiatus after their 206 album Two Vines, the Australian electronic duo (Luke “Emperor” Steele and Nick “Lord” Littlemore) has at last made its return.
Renowned for their signature ethereal synths and pulsating beats, Steele and Littlemore evoke the magic of the summer sunset on Ask That God. This album’s structure and flow mirrors the cycle of a summer night, building from laid-back electronica to a thrilling peak, and then concluding with a gentle, elegant finish.
Empire Of The Sun’s Ask That God Summary And Highlights
Personally, I find the album’s first track, “Changes,” to be one of my favorites. Released as a single earlier in 2024, the track now opens the album with a compelling hook: its engaging bassline and irresistible descending melody immediately capture the listener’s attention.
Ask That God begins to unfold with tracks that seamlessly intertwine, creating a fluid and unified listening experience. Specifically, the middle section of the album stands out with its diverse sonic landscape. “The Feeling You Get” channels the spirit of 80s power ballads, while “AEIOU” echoes the vibrant nightlife of the 2000s, both evoking a nostalgic euphoria. “AEIOU” is the album’s oldest single, having debuted in Oct. 2023.
As Ask That God enters its second half, the music shifts into a more relaxed tone. Tracks such as “Wild World” embrace minimalism with their soft, sporadic arrangements. Finally, the closing track, “Friends I Know,” introduces subtle acoustic elements, providing a bittersweet, introspective finish. These mellow moments toward’s the album’s end serve as a soothing counterpart to the album’s earlier high-energy tracks, and showcase Empire Of The Sun’s versatility.
Even the album’s closing line on “Friends I Know” leaves listeners with the sense of a mesmerizing evening coming to a close, as the promise of a new day approaches: “Good night, my friend.”
Empire Of The Sun Announces ‘Ask That God’ Tour
In support of Ask That God, Empire Of The Sun is scheduled to tour later this year. Since the Walking On A Dream 10-year anniversary tour in 2019, opportunities for fans to see the band live in concert have been arguably rare.
The Ask That God tour is set to begin on Oct. 24 in Sydney, Australia, and end only one month later on Nov. 26, in Brooklyn, New York. As of now, the band’s tour calendar consists of eight stops: four in Australia, and four in North America. Full details of their tour can be found here.
Empire Of The Sun’s tour ultimately presents itself as the ideal opportunity for fans to reminisce on classics like “We Are The People” and “Walking On a Dream” while also enjoying new hits off of Ask That God. I am already in high anticipation of how the band will combine their new hits with live elements, from eye-grabbing visual projections to dramatic costume changes. I would even love for Empire Of The Sun to perform more of their re-touched versions of their classics, as they have done in the past.
