Album Review: DREAMS - No One Defeats Us

It was no real surprise when former Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns and Sleepy Jackson/Empire Of The Sun human art installation Luke Steele launched their DREAMS super-project with a modest two night Sydney Opera House Vivid spectacular.

The first shock delivered by this viscerally visual duo is the laziest album artwork this side of a punk record sporting a dirty square of toilet roll, Steele this time round peacocking as 'Miracle' and Johns adopting a 'Dr. Dreams' persona. But there doesn't seem to be a lot of depth behind the masquerading. The hefty electronica is no great diversion from either's recent output and the first half tries to wow with phat, bass-y beats and sloganistic chanting choruses. 

No One Defeats Us has Steele barking out lyrics like he's trying to overwrite the affability of Walking On A Dream and Young Minds only starts to get really interesting when the children's choir kicks in on the damn fade-out. Love To Live is quite the joyous pop anthem but Odd Party fails to be Tron-esque in its digital scope. DREAMS are ambitious and loud, but these two kindred daydreamers have never sounded more on their own planet.