It was almost eight years of radio silence. Eight years. In the music industry, that’s basically a lifetime. When Nick Littlemore and Luke Steele finally emerged from the digital ether in 2024, they didn’t just drop a single; they dropped a manifesto for a world that had forgotten how to dance without looking at a screen first. Music On The Radio isn't just a song. It's the centerpiece of their fourth studio album, Ask That God, and it serves as a bizarrely catchy bridge between the hazy synth-pop of 2008’s Walking on a Dream and the hyper-saturated production of the mid-2020s.
Honestly, the track feels like a fever dream. It’s got that signature Empire of the Sun DNA—the kind of stuff that makes you feel like you’re at a neon-lit ritual in the middle of a desert—but there’s a grit to it that wasn't there before.
The Weird Alchemy of Music On The Radio
People keep asking if the duo lost their touch during the hiatus. Short answer? No. If anything, they got weirder, and in pop music, weird is usually better. Music On The Radio leans heavily into a specific brand of psychedelic disco. It’s got this driving, pulsing bassline that feels like it was ripped straight out of a 1982 Giorgio Moroder session, but then Luke Steele’s vocals hit, and everything goes widescreen.
He has this way of singing that sounds both detached and intensely emotional. It's a high-wire act.
One of the coolest things about this track is the layering. If you listen with a good pair of headphones, you can hear these tiny, granular synth stabs that float in and out of the mix. It's not just "press play on the sequence" songwriting. Littlemore, who also spends time with Pnau, clearly brought some of that modern dance floor sensibility to the table. The track manages to be "Music On The Radio" in a literal sense—it's built for FM airwaves—while simultaneously poking fun at the very concept of mainstream consumption.
Breaking Down the Sound
The song starts with a percussive snap that’s almost aggressive. Then the groove kicks in. It’s a 118 BPM strut. Most modern pop is either dragging its feet at 90 BPM or sprinting at 140, so hitting that mid-tempo sweet spot makes it stand out on a playlist. It’s "walking music."
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- The "Space-King" aesthetic: Luke Steele’s visual identity—the crown, the robes, the face paint—isn't just a gimmick. It informs the vocal delivery. He sounds like an emperor reflecting on a lost civilization.
- Analog vs. Digital: They used a lot of vintage gear for this record. You can hear the warmth. It doesn't have that "plastic" sheen that plagues so many Spotify Top 50 tracks.
- The Hook: It’s simple. Maybe too simple? "Music on the radio / Turn it up and let it go." It’s a classic pop trope, but they deliver it with such conviction that it feels like a revelation rather than a cliché.
Why 2024 Was the Right Time for a Comeback
The music landscape changed massively between their last record (Two Vines) and the release of Ask That God. We went through a global pandemic, the total takeover of TikTok as a hit-maker, and a shift toward "vibe" music over structured songwriting. Empire of the Sun basically ignored all of that.
They stayed in their lane.
When Music On The Radio hit the airwaves, it felt refreshing because it wasn't trying to be a 15-second soundbite. It’s a full composition. It has a bridge! Remember bridges? That middle section that actually takes the song somewhere else before bringing it home? They still value that.
There’s also the nostalgia factor. A huge portion of their fanbase is now in their 30s and 40s. These are the people who remember hearing "Alive" at festivals in 2013 and feeling like they were part of something massive. By releasing Music On The Radio, the band tapped into that collective memory while proving they aren't just a legacy act. They're still iterating.
The Visual Language of the Empire
You can't talk about the music without talking about the visuals. The music video for Music On The Radio is a kaleidoscopic trip. Filmed with their long-time collaborators, it maintains that "sci-fi odyssey" vibe they’ve spent nearly two decades perfecting. It’s colorful. It’s expensive-looking. It’s unapologetically grand.
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In an era where most artists film their "videos" on an iPhone in a bedroom, Empire of the Sun is still out here building worlds.
The costume design alone is a masterclass in maximalism. Steele looks like a deity from a planet where the primary export is glitter and synthesizers. This commitment to the bit is what makes the song work. If they were just two guys in t-shirts singing about the radio, it would be boring. But because they are The Emperor and The Lord, the song carries the weight of a royal decree.
Critics and the "Pop" Label
Some critics argued that the track was a bit safe. They said it didn't push the boundaries as much as Ice on the Dune did. But honestly? Sometimes you don't need to reinvent the wheel. You just need to make the wheel look really, really cool and spin it at the right speed.
The brilliance of Music On The Radio lies in its lack of pretension. It knows exactly what it is. It’s a summer anthem designed to be played loud with the windows down. It’s a reminder that pop music can be sophisticated and "dumb" at the same time—the "dumb" being that primal, rhythmic urge to just move.
Technical Nuance: The Production Side
For the gear nerds out there, the production on this track is remarkably clean. The separation between the kick drum and the bass guitar is surgical. Usually, in synth-pop, these two frequencies fight for space and end up creating a muddy mess. Here, they dance around each other.
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Littlemore and Steele worked with Pnau’s Peter Mayes again, and his influence is all over the high-end frequencies. There’s a shimmer to the cymbals and the vocal harmonies that feels expensive. It’s that "million-dollar sound" that is becoming increasingly rare in an era of home-studio dominance.
They also didn't over-process Luke’s voice. You can still hear the breath, the slight imperfections, and the unique timbre that makes him one of the most recognizable vocalists in alt-pop.
How to Truly Experience Music On The Radio
If you really want to get what Empire of the Sun is doing here, don't just stream it on your phone speakers. That’s a disservice to the work they put into the mix.
- Find a high-fidelity source. Use a lossless streaming service or, better yet, get the vinyl. The analog mastering on Ask That God is superb.
- Listen at sunset. There is something about the frequency range of this song that just hits differently when the light is fading. It’s designed for that "golden hour" transition.
- Watch the live performances. The band has been touring the new material, and the live arrangements of Music On The Radio are even heavier. The drums are more tribal, and the synths are more aggressive.
- Contextualize it. Listen to it back-to-back with "Walking on a Dream." Notice the evolution. The DNA is the same, but the Empire has grown up. They’re less concerned with being "indie-cool" and more focused on being "timeless-pop."
The reality is that Empire of the Sun didn't have to come back. They had a legacy that was already cemented. But Music On The Radio proves that they still have something to say. They’re still the high priests of the synth-pop altar, and they aren't ready to give up the throne just yet. It’s a bold, bright, and slightly insane return to form that reminds us why we fell in love with them in the first place.
Go back and listen to the bridge one more time. The way the synths swell right before the final chorus is a masterclass in tension and release. It’s not just a song; it’s a craft.
To get the most out of the current Empire of the Sun era, track down the limited edition neon vinyl of Ask That God. The physical artwork provides a tangible connection to the "Empire" world that digital files just can't replicate. Also, keep an eye on their official YouTube channel for the "behind-the-scenes" making of the album, which reveals the specific modular synths used to create those haunting background textures in the track. Finally, if they are playing a festival near you, go. Their live show remains one of the few truly "theatrical" experiences left in the touring circuit.