It was only supposed to be a side project. But Empire of the Sun, an Australian electro duo comprising Luke Steele, originally of the Sleepy Jackson, and Nick Littlemore, of PNAU, turned out to be something of a behemoth. The group was named on the BBC’s Sound of 2009 list at number 4, and took home truckloads of prizes at the Australian Recording Industry Association’s awards ceremony last month (as pictured above). Critical praise for debut record Walking On A Dream has been matched with considerable chart success, both in Australia and the UK.

Suspiciously, Littlemore is presently AWOL recording new PNAU material and is believed to have left the group. Steele, however, still seemed set to leave behind his old band, and continue on with Empire of the Sun alone; this was confirmed in an interview in June, where he further declared his intentions to move away from the Perth-based six piece. But now, it seems, this is not so. The Sleepy Jackson will be releasing a new record, their third. Perhaps not next year, but if not then, it’ll be in 2011.

Says Steele: “I think I’ve pretty much written a lot of the new album, but funnily enough, the record company doesn’t seem too interested at the moment. That’s okay for me, though, buys me a bit of time for the moment. [The album should be out] definitely in the next decade but not in the next 12 months – I’d want to, but I don’t think so, no.”

Walking On A Dream was a ridiculously histrionic record, simultaneously brilliant and silly. If Steele can harness his imagination on his next effort into something that transcends that album’s melodrama, this new LP might be one to watch.