EMPIRE OF THE SUN - EMPIRE OF THE SUN FINISH FOURTH IN BBC SOUND OF 2009 LIST

EMPIRE OF THE SUN FINISH FOURTH IN BBC SOUND OF 2009 LIST

Ambitious Australian duo Empire of the Sun have finished in fourth place in the BBC's Sound of 2009 shortlist.

The prestigious list predicts the musicians likely to break through in the next 12 months and was won last year by Adele.

Comprised of the Sleepy Jackson's Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore of electronica act Pnau, Empire of the Sun have reached the Australian top ten with their debut album Walking on a Dream.

With theatrical stage outfits, a band mythology concerning ancient cultures and an 80s-influenced synth-pop sound, the pair have come fourth on the BBC's list of bands to watch for 2009.

"We're so visual," Steele told the BBC. "We want to make something that as a child you see and you just love because it's so colourful and it's got imagination.

"Music is magic, and with imagination combined it can be completely epic. We've been both on the road doing shows for the last ten years and we wanted something that's higher - visually, mentally, physically, a bigger level, a bigger vision that can last for ever."

The longlist was unveiled in December and each entrant in the top five will be named on a daily basis this week, with Adele's successor revealed on Friday January 9th.

It was announced on Monday that electropop pair La Roux had been named as the fifth most exciting act of 2009.

This year's Sound of 2009 longlist also included Brit winner Florence and the Machine, Grammy-nominated hip-hop princess Lady GaGa, arty duo the Big Pink and singer-songwriters Dan Black.

The Ting Tings, Duffy, Glasvegas and Vampire Weekend were featured in the 2008 list.