You remember the first time you heard that opening synth line. It’s 2008. Or maybe it’s 2009. You’re likely looking at a screen or sitting in a car, and suddenly this iridescent, shimmering wave of sound washes over everything. It didn’t sound like the indie rock of the era. It didn't sound like the gritty electro-clash that was dying out in London or New York. We Are The People Empire of the Sun wasn't just a song; it was a total aesthetic takeover that arrived with zero warning and stayed for decades.
Honestly, it’s rare for a track to hold this much cultural real estate for nearly twenty years. Most "indie-dance" hits from the late 2000s feel like time capsules—dusty relics of neon headbands and American Apparel leggings. But there is something about Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore’s collaboration that defies the typical expiration date of a pop song.
They weren't just making music. They were world-building.
The Weird, Mythological Origin of a Modern Anthem
When We Are The People Empire of the Sun hit the airwaves, nobody really knew what to make of the duo. Steele was known for the psychedelic folk-rock of The Sleepy Jackson, and Littlemore was one-half of the electronic act Pnau. It was an odd-couple pairing that shouldn't have worked. Yet, when they got together in Sydney and Perth, they didn't just write songs. They invented a lineage. They dressed like post-apocalyptic royalty from a planet that only exports glitter and hooks.
The lyrics are famously cryptic. "Can you live and hold your breath?" is a question that sounds profound even if you aren't entirely sure what the answer implies. It taps into a sense of communal longing. It’s about the "people," sure, but it’s also about the isolation of being an artist. Steele has often spoken in interviews about the spiritual nature of their writing process. He views the music as something channeled rather than manufactured. That might sound like typical rock star fluff, but when you listen to the layering of the production, you start to believe him.
It’s an anthem for the disillusioned.
Why the Production Still Slaps (Technically Speaking)
Most people focus on the vocals, but the real magic of We Are The People Empire of the Sun is the rhythm section. It has this driving, acoustic-guitar-meets-four-on-the-floor beat that feels organic and digital simultaneously. This was recorded at a time when producers were obsessed with "loudness wars," yet this track has room to breathe.
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If you listen closely to the bridge—the part where the world seems to open up—there’s a specific frequency of synth that mimics a sunrise. It’s intentional. They used a mix of vintage analog gear and modern digital processing to create a "warm" electronic sound. This is why it doesn't grate on the ears like the EDM that would follow a few years later. It’s soft. It’s melodic. It’s basically a lullaby you can dance to.
The Mexico Connection and the Visual Identity
You can't talk about the song without talking about the video. Directed by Josh Logue and filmed in Mexico (specifically Garcia Caves and the town of Real de Catorce), it turned the song into a cinematic event. The visuals borrowed heavily from the surrealist traditions of Alejandro Jodorowsky and the Huichol people's vibrant folk art.
It was a risky move. In 2008, "cultural appropriation" wasn't a buzzword in the same way it is now, but the band was clearly walking a fine line. However, the intent was less about "taking" and more about "honoring" a sense of ancient mysticism. They wanted to look like they had just emerged from a thousand-year slumber in a cave.
- The costumes were handmade and weighed a ton.
- The headdresses were inspired by traditional festivals.
- The locations were chosen because they felt "charged" with energy.
This visual commitment is what separated them from the pack. While other bands were wearing flannel shirts and looking at their shoes, Empire of the Sun was demanding you look at them. They created a visual language that felt like a fever dream. It’s why the song survived the transition to the streaming era—it’s highly "shareable" even before that was a requirement for success.
The Unlikely Second Life on Social Media
Fast forward to the mid-2020s. We Are The People Empire of the Sun hasn't disappeared. Instead, it’s found a new home on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Why? Because the "vibe" of the song is universal. It’s the sound of "main character energy."
Younger listeners who weren't even born when Walking on a Dream was released are discovering it as a nostalgic anthem for a time they never lived through. It’s "retro-futurism" in its purest form. The song exists in a vacuum. It doesn't sound like 2008, but it also doesn't sound like 2026. It just sounds like the feeling of being alive and slightly confused by the world.
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Deconstructing the "Empire" Sound
What makes the "Empire" sound so distinct? It’s the tension between Steele’s high, almost fragile vocals and the massive, cinematic backdrops.
In We Are The People, the vocal melody is actually quite simple. It follows a traditional folk structure. If you played it on a banjo, it would sound like a campfire song. But when you wrap that folk melody in layers of shimmering reverb and a pulsing bassline, it becomes something grander. It becomes an "Empire" song.
The song’s success also lies in its ambiguity. Is it a happy song? Is it sad? It’s both. It has that melancholic euphoria that is the hallmark of all great dance music. It’s the sound of crying on the dancefloor. Or laughing in a thunderstorm. Take your pick.
The Legacy of the "Walking on a Dream" Album
We have to acknowledge that this song didn't exist in isolation. It was the centerpiece of an album that redefined what Australian music could be on a global stage. Before this, Australian exports were often categorized as "pub rock" or "quirky pop." Empire of the Sun proved that an Aussie band could create a high-concept, big-budget, world-conquering aesthetic that rivaled anything coming out of Los Angeles or London.
The album won seven ARIA Awards. It went platinum in multiple countries. But more than the trophies, it changed the DNA of pop music. You can hear its influence in everything from the synth-heavy tracks of Taylor Swift’s 1989 era to the psychedelic excursions of Tame Impala. Kevin Parker has even cited the duo as a significant influence on his approach to production and melody.
Addressing the Critics: Was it All Just Style?
Some critics at the time dismissed the band as "style over substance." They pointed to the elaborate costumes and the cryptic lyrics as a way to hide a lack of "real" songwriting.
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But that misses the point.
In the world of Empire of the Sun, the style is the substance. The artifice is the message. By creating these personas—The Emperor and The Prophet—Steele and Littlemore were able to explore emotions that might have felt too raw or too cheesy if presented as "normal" guys in jeans. The costumes provided a shield. They allowed for a level of sincerity that is often missing in modern irony-poisoned culture.
When they sing about "the people," they aren't talking about a specific political group. They’re talking about a spiritual collective. It’s a bit hippy-dippy, sure. But in a world that feels increasingly fragmented, that message of "we" over "I" still resonates deeply.
What Happened Next?
The band didn't just stop there. They released Ice on the Dune and Two Vines, continuing their exploration of high-concept pop. But We Are The People Empire of the Sun remains their touchstone. It’s the song they have to play every time, the one that closes the set, the one that makes the crowd lose their collective minds.
Interestingly, after a long hiatus, the band returned in 2024 with new music, proving that the appetite for their specific brand of neon-soaked escapism hasn't faded. If anything, we need it more now than we did in 2008. The world is louder, faster, and more chaotic. Putting on these headphones and letting that opening synth swell is a form of digital meditation.
How to Truly Appreciate the Track Today
If you want to get the most out of We Are The People Empire of the Sun, don't just play it on your phone speakers while you're doing the dishes. It deserves better.
- Find the high-fidelity version. Listen to the FLAC or a high-bitrate stream. The nuance in the background percussion—those tiny little shakers and clicks—is what gives the song its texture.
- Watch the 4K remastered video. Seeing the colors of the Mexican desert through the lens of their high-concept fashion is a trip in itself. Pay attention to the way the editing matches the "pulsing" nature of the synth.
- Listen to the remixes. While the original is king, the Sam La More remix or the Shapeshifters remix offer different perspectives on the same emotional core. They strip away the folk elements and lean into the club energy.
- Read the lyrics as poetry. Forget the music for a second. Read the words. "Waking up to your light, memories of our love." It’s a simple story of loss and rebirth that everyone can relate to.
The "Empire" isn't a place on a map. It’s a state of mind. And as long as people feel a bit lost in the digital wilderness, this song will be there to guide them back to the campfire.