This week saw Elton John prove he is still standing, as he returned to the pinnacle of British music. Not since November 1990 had Sir Elton topped the UK album chart with his compilation album 'The Very Best of Elton John'. Now, thanks to the help of two unfamiliar Aussies, Sir Elton John's 59th album entitled 'Good Morning To The Night' has outsold the likes of Maroon 5, Frank Ocean, Paul Simon and Ed Sheeran.
Today's world of music is brimming with electro and dance fuelled remixes, often created by the reworking of classics from days gone by. Sir Elton decided that he wanted to try his hand at this market and thus turned to Australian dance act 'Pnau' in order to help him. He invited the Australian duo to work with him in remastering some of his older material with the aim of creating music that would not look out of place in today's bars and nightclubs. The choice of the little known Pnau raised many eyebrows, however it was clear after completion that Elton's choice was the right one.
Pnau was formed in Sydney by Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes. Music enthusiasts may remember the two from the band 'Empire Of The Sun', who enjoyed a successful year in 2008 with singles such as 'Walking On a Dream' and 'We Are The People'. The success, however, was short lived and the two producers turned their hand back to their original alias, Pnau.
Since forming in 1999, Pnau have released four solo albums. Their first, 'Sambanova', was an instant success back home in Australia, winning the ARIA Award for best dance release. However, just a week after winning the award, the album was pulled from music stores after controversy surrounding uncleared samples. Littlemore and Mayes put this down to a lack of knowledge of the music industry. The album was subsequently re-released a year later once legal matters had been settled.
Pnau's second album was somewhat of a letdown, as it failed to live up to the highs of their first album. Although it was their first overseas release, it failed to chart in Australia or in the UK. The duo, therefore, returned to the studio and focused on a slight shift in style, that would ultimately reap rewards.
Their eponymous third album was the one that caught the attention of Elton John, with John claiming it was "the greatest record he had heard in years". It featured well known artists such as Nick Yannikas and Ladyhawke, and it led with the rather quirky single 'Wild Strawberries'. It is said to be this song that left Elton John eager for more. The outcome saw John sign Pnau to his management label.
'Soft Universe' was the first release under the watchful eye of Sir Elton John. The pressure was well and truly on Pnau to create a truly brilliant album, coming off the back of a successful spell as Empire Of The Sun. However, yet again the Australian duo failed to flatter. The album did contain an Empire Of The Sun feel to it, only it seemed as if the tracks on Soft Universe were just the tracks that failed to make the Walking On A Dream EP. Ironically, the only song that meets expectation on the album is 'Twist of Fate'. The following song on the album, 'The Truth', shows glimpses of what could have been a quality album, but it is the seventh track, 'Epic Fail', that comes closer to summing up the record.
However, it seems that Pnau's reputation of one good album - one bad album, is set to continue. Their refashioning of Elton John's back catalogue of the 70's is sheer brilliance. The album only contains eight tracks, however it seems as if the Sydney duo have gone for quality and not quantity.
The title and first track off the album is already a club hit and features extracts of eight of Elton John's early recordings, highlighting that this album is not just a work of art, but a work of science. The way in which Littlemore and Mayes have carefully moulded samples of Elton John's music to create new sounds, itself, is stunning. The way in which they have created appealing music is genius. This is further displayed in the album's second single 'Sad', which uses tracks such as 'Crazy Waters', 'Curtains' and 'Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word'. Sad is sure to be a timeless hit and the signature song of the album.
Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes admitted that they were aware of the dangers of taking up such a project. The album was destined to be either a chart topping hit or a complete failure. Thankfully it was the former. We now sit in anticipation of Pnau's future work, which will again come with great expectations. However lets hope this time they produce material that matches the belief their mentor has in them.
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