They've been called 'The MGMT of 2009', but apart from the fact that they're a duo specialising in electro-pop with a psychedelic edge, Australia's Empire of the Sun have little in common with the Brooklyn pair. For starters, their debut album contains a lot more depth; much of 'Walking on a Dream''s lyrical content is centred around love, loss and heartbreak, rather than MGMT's tales of youthful abandon and excess.

Nonetheless, Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore have enjoyed the attention their side project has already brought them (Steele is frontman of lauded indie band The Sleepy Jackson, while Littlemore is a highly respected musician/producer/DJ with electronica act Pnau). Contrarily, they take their name from neither the film nor the book of the same name, but rather a concept based around ancient sun-worshipping civilisations.

The music is resultantly as fantastical as that hypothesis suggests; throw in the fact that the pair are heavily influenced by film (cinematic instrumental 'Country' sits somewhere Twin Peaks and Flight of the Navigator) and Steele's unusual vocal style (half-warble, half-falsetto), and you've got the makings of a great debut album.

'We Are the People' flags itself as an immediate standout; it's an addictive love song with a euphoric chorus and a shedload of chilled-out, Mediterranean disco beat ambience. The title track is a gem, too, as is poignant closing track 'Without You', which surely owes a large debt to The Cars' hit 'Drive'.

They may not have as many radio-friendly hits as some of their peers, but it seems like Empire of the Sun are pursuing a more significant objective - that is, to make catchy, modern pop music that'll make people think as much as it'll make them dance. Plus, their costumes are much better, too.