Empire of the Sun, the return: “Changes” is an initiation rite

Empire of the Sun, the return: “Changes” is an initiation rite

A little girl is drawing a monstrous fish in front of her bedroom window. Suddenly, a flash in the sky attracts her attention: it is a space-time gap that has just openedletting a mysterious vehicle The little girl looks amazed, then drops the drawing and runs to see what is happening.

A keyboard starts that sounds very 70s dance. The little girl enters a forest and finds herself in front of a lake. The mysterious vehicle that fell from the sky is a car: it is sinking into the water. The windows emit a fluorescent green light. Inside there are two figures: they are Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore, the .Empire of the Sun. “We are calling your name, come on and lose control”, they sing. That's it, with this video between fairytale, lo-fi and science fictiondirected by the acclaimed director Michael Maxxis (already alongside – among others – Orville Peck, the masked singer who redefined the contours of country music in the USA, and Kygo), which Empire of the Sun decided to inaugurate with the single “Changes” the new chapter of their career. The Australian duo of Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore returns six years after the last album. Ready to regain his space in the pop scene.

The video clip for “Changes” resembles a initiation rite. Maxxis, known for its evocative storytelling and impactful visual aesthetic, collaborated closely with the band to create a narrative that explores the power of imagination and the quest for self-discovery. Filmed among the breathtaking landscapes of Thailand, the video clip of the single that marks the return of Empire of the Sun invites the public to embark on a visually stunning cinematic odyssey that will captivate and excite viewers with its otherworldly charm. “'Changes' was a breakthrough song for us. It was the moment of clarity where it became evident that we were in a new musical chapter, in a moment of rebirth, in the next page of Empire history,” says Emperor Steele, the duo's frontman. Lord Littlemore echoes this: “Step once again into the world we have created, delve deeper into it and you will be rewarded with its ever-expanding story, everyone is invited to take part in the new era”.

Between the '00s and '10s, Empire of the Sun left an indelible mark on pop culture with hits like “Walking on a dream”, “We are the people” And “Alive”, aiming for a irresistible mix of pop and electronic and on an attractive aesthetic, among costumes, masks, imaginative video clipsselling 6 million copies worldwide. In recent years they have searched for new creative life, as they themselves say. “Changes”, between pulsating beats and contagious melodies, heralds a sonic evolution for Steele and Littlemore, who return to create ethereal sound worlds capable of fascinating the public by looking to the future but at the same time remaining faithful to that unique style that distinguishes the their project, with that ability to intertwine music and visual aesthetics.

In the video, alien figures suddenly appear and levitate them into the air. It's a moment, a breath, then the setting changes. Now the two are on the slopes of an ancient ruined temple, they sing, dance and the little girl looks at them in ecstasy: “Changes represent the shifting sands of time, empires rise and fall but the sun will continue to shine”.