November 10, 2009

By By Christie Eliezer, Melbourne

Empire Of The Sun had three wins at the ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) Artisan and Fine Arts awards in Sydney today (Nov. 10).

Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore, who make up the Capitol/EMI Music Australia dance act, took best producer for their debut album "Walking On A Dream". They shared production duties with Sneaky Sound System's Donnie Sloan and Pnau's Peter Mayes.

Steele sent a message through his manager Pete Lusty of Sydney-based Winterman & Goldstein: "This record production was like quad chemistry... four scientists, one microscope, one formula."

"Walking On A Dream" also took out the artwork category for design company Debaser, while Josh Logue of production house Mathematics won best video for the film clip for the Empire of the Sun album's title track.

The engineer of the year gong was shared by DJ Debris for multi-platinum hip-hop act Hilltop Hoods' "State Of The Art" (Golden Era/Universal Music Australia), and Greg Wales for power rock trio You Am I's "Dilettantes" (Virgin/EMI Music Australia).

Of the Fine Arts wins, Katie Noonan took best jazz album for "Blackbird - The Music of Lennon & McCartney" (Sony Music Entertainment), recorded in New York.

Eighty-year-old Torres Strait Island singer-songwriter Seaman Dan's fifth album, "Sailing Home" (Steady Steady Music/MGM), won in the world music category, while the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra's "Handel: Concerti Grossi Opus 6" (ABC Classics/Universal Music Australia) took the classical award, and the music of the political thriller "Balibo" (ABC Music/Universal Music Australia) won in the best original soundtrack category.

These awards are a precursor to the main ARIA awards, held Nov. 26 at the Acer Arena in Sydney and screened on the free-to-air Nine Network and MTV Australia. Among the international performers are Britain's Robbie Williams. For more details go to CNET reported.

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