Ice on the Dune

Empire of The Sun - Ice on the Dune
Critic Score
Based on 26 reviews
2013 Ratings: #736 / 1115
User Score
Based on 114 ratings
2013 Rank: #488
Liked by 9 people
June 18, 2013 / Release Date
LP / Format
Astralwerks / Label
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CRITIC REVIEWS

80
PopMatters

Disjointed ending or not, Empire of the Sun has delivered a well-blended mix of disco, electropop and just plain fun that evokes the greats without copying them outright. 

80
AllMusic

The guys in Empire of the Sun manage to not only catch the lightning again, but their skill at crafting perfect pop, the depth in their songs, and the emotion their voices transmit make this record better than one might have ever expected.

75
Under the Radar

On their own, however, the songs still have the relentless hooks, the danceable rhythms, the chiseled melodies, plus the mysterious lyricism that production alone cannot create. 

70
DIY

Empire Of The Sun’s true art lays far more in their ability to pick out a tune than tell a story.



70
The Line of Best Fit

The album is full of high-energy, highly-infectious dance numbers–in a way that demands frequently radio play, big-budget festival spots, distasteful Kesha collaborations, and another five year break between this and album #3.  

60
Drowned in Sound

Perhaps with a little more nuance they can exploit the potential of their partnership to be one of the most intriguing electro-pop duos around - but on Ice on the Dune that potential remains unrealised.

60
musicOMH

The songs and melodies may be brighter, but there is a nagging sense throughout that something special has been lost somewhere in the process.

60
Consequence of Sound

Dune offers plenty of accessible, danceable fun. It’s neither better nor worse than Dream, but for all that talk of “pushing through four dimensions” (“Surround Sound”), the album remains planted in its comfort zone.

56
Pitchfork

Their voice isn't strong enough, their imprint on their diaphanous grooves not unique enough, to make them stick. Their stuff floats off, and the synths carry the whiff not of a beach breeze but of a department-store escalator.

40
NME

When you project a futuristic, magical and otherworldly image, you’d better have the sounds to match. And unfortunately, ‘Ice On The Dune’ is a four-to-the-floor electro-pop album that has literally nothing to do with the cheesy fable invented to go with it.

1Spooked0gHosT7
88

Hot Ice off thee Dun(it)E. (Hid3 unit3). πŸ₯΅πŸ§ŠπŸ₯ΆπŸ”₯.

Raiksheen
50

Mediocre

ItzProMusic
56

Empire of the Sun returns with their second LP, Ice On The Dune. It’s a lot more synthpop and house than their last record. Overall, it’s fine. The vocal performances aren’t nearly as great as last time around and the production grows old fairly quickly, but it holds up for a nice project. Not something I would listen to on repeat at all though.

shiverism
63

its fine for what you get from it but its meh

thegreatbigben
46

Mediocre ass album.

Favourite Songs: DNA, Ice on the Dune.
Least Favourite Songs: Old Flavours, Surround Sound, Disarm.

1Spooked0gHosT7
88

Hot Ice off thee Dun(it)E. (Hid3 unit3). πŸ₯΅πŸ§ŠπŸ₯ΆπŸ”₯.

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Track List

1Lux
1:25
49
2DNA
3:54
84
3Alive
3:24
91
4Concert Pitch
3:40
81
5Ice on the Dune
3:25
81
6Awakening
3:45
75
7I'll Be Around
4:30
81
8Old Flavours
3:54
65
9Celebrate
3:19
69
10Surround Sound
3:17
59
11Disarm
3:51
66
12Keep a Watch
4:28
68
Total Length: 42 minutes

Year End Lists

#24/Q Magazine
#43/Gigwise
#90/Amazon
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Added on: May 1, 2013