"The Spins" of Summer:
Empire of the Sun
You've heard their songs, but do you know them?
by Phoebe Thompson
May 25th, 2025
Earlier this year, I was looking for some upbeat songs to arrange for a cappella, just as a fun side project. I wanted something outside of my usual listening routine, so I turned to the internet for ideas. I sifted through a sea of tracks, many of which were about “tonight” or how we are “young forever”—a lot of recession pop. But I was hoping for something with a bit more substance.
One Reddit user suggested “We Are the People” by Empire of the Sun. I hadn’t heard of them before, so naturally, I was intrigued. Upon first listen, I knew it was going to be on repeat for the foreseeable future. The song has such a nostalgic quality to it, yet it feels celebratory simultaneously. It reminds me a little bit of that one Mac Miller song...
When it got to the bridge, I recognized it immediately—it’s been making the rounds online over the past year or so. I always hear it over this one viral clip of Julianne Hough and Kenny Wormald in a dance rehearsal for Footloose (yes, you know the one). Some of the captions include “Us if he existed in real life” and “Situationships one night before they end.” I think it’s interesting how this feeling of—dare I say it, yearning—is so common among listeners. There’s something in the sound that evokes a sort of longing.
Out of curiosity, I decided to listen to the full album, Walking on a Dream (2008). It opens with “Standing on the Shore,” whose first guitar riff had me hooked immediately. It draws the listener in, like the beginning of an adventure. Perfect energy for an opening track. Next was the second and titular track, “Walking on a Dream,” and I realized I’d heard this one before too—most recently in graduation posts. Like “We Are the People,” it carries a light, celebratory tone.
But the third track, “Half Mast,” is what stopped me in my tracks. A familiar drumbeat and a light synth pattern. I knew this song. I double-checked to make sure I was still listening to the same album. Still Empire of the Sun—but it was missing something. And then it clicked: this was the song that I was reminded of earlier. It’s also the other track that pops up in graduation posts—Mac Miller’s “The Spins.”
Of course, I immediately had to Google the connection. Sure enough, Mac Miller sampled “Half Mast” for “The Spins,” off his 2010 album K.I.D.S.. To this day, “The Spins” remains one of the most-streamed songs for both artists. Interestingly, according to some Reddit discourse, it seems Empire of the Sun wasn’t credited on the song until relatively recently. However, the duo has expressed their gratitude and fondness of Miller's track and other remixes, saying how great it is that the younger generation is "creat[ing] a whole new experience" by sampling their music.
The rest of Walking on a Dream is great—"Tiger By My Side" and "Swordfish Hotkiss Night" are highlights for me—but that opening four-track run is nearly unbeatable. I've been sifting through the rest of Empire of the Sun's discography recently and I am so happy to have stumbled across them; they are still making music and touring today! Don't even get me started on their theatrical performances and fantastical costumes/makeup. Their music reminds me of one of my favorite artists, Tame Impala. Interestingly enough, both originate from Australia; both Luke Steele (Empire of the Sun) and Kevin Parker (Tame Impala) are big in the Perth music scene.
I think Walking on a Dream and Empire of the Sun are great to listen to amidst graduation season and the start of summer. Their nostalgic, upbeat sound captures the excitement of new beginnings, as well as the nostalgia of looking back—fitting for a time when so many people are reflecting on the past and looking ahead to the future. Making that connection between "Half Mast" and Mac Miller was thrilling for me as a listener (nerd alert!). It seems like many of their songs are regaining popularity, so I think it's time to give Empire of the Sun the recognition they deserve.
Sources:
https://www.samburkardt.com/blog/2013/08/18/empire-of-the-sun-gotham-hall-ny-ny
https://www.reddit.com/r/MacMiller/comments/1fctksw/hmmm/#
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/empire-of-the-sun-mn0001035496#biography
https://music.apple.com/us/album/walking-on-a-dream-special-edition/712862605
https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-spins/1666533702?i=1666534265