Australian duo Empire of the Sun are back to usher in a new era with their new single, “Changes.” Stream it below.
Produced by Empire of the Sun with frequent collaborator Peter Mayes and Swedish hitmakers Vargas & Lagola, Magnus Lidehäll, and Pontus Winnberg, “Changes” features a sleek, glossy electropop instrumental with big, sweeping synths. Equally dramatic are the lyrics about digging deep within: “We go far to the early break of dawn/ We wearing faces that we’ve never worn before.”
In a statement, Lord Nick Littlemore said the song “represents the shifting sands of time, empires rise and fall but the sun shall shine on.” He also invited listeners to “come once more into the world we’ve created, delve deeper within and be rewarded with its ever-expanding story, each and every one is invited to explore the new era.”
Emperor Luke Steele added that “Changes” was a “breakthrough track” for the duo’s next journey: “It felt like the moment of clarity when it became evident we were in the new era, our time of rebirth, the next chapter of Empire.”
It’s been eight years since Empire of the Sun’s most recent album, Two Vines. Besides their 2017 EP, On Our Way Home, the duo has been largely dormant, with Littlemore shifting focus back to his other group, Pnau, and Steele dropping a solo album in 2022.
Though Empire of the Sun haven’t announced a new album yet, “Changes” clearly paves the way for a new beginning.