Empires into Sand

Normil Hawaiians presents Empires into Sand, their first album of new material in 40 years. The group honed their sound in the early 80s, blending ambient drone, motorik impulse, and post-punk energy to create a pastoral experimentalism.

Empires into Sand was created in the same improvisational and nuanced manner as their original three albums. The release of their last record, Return of the Ranters, in 2015 by Upset The Rhythm sparked a renewed interest in making music together for the band.

Normil Hawaiians performed a launch show for the ‘lost album’ and continued with more concerts, including appearances at Supernormal and a residency at the Edinburgh Festival. They were even selected by Richard Dawson to perform with him in London.

While revisiting their original songs for live performances, Normil Hawaiians did not simply recreate the past. They pushed their songs into new and inventive dimensions, maintaining their progressive core but infusing a cosmic uncanniness into their music.

Empires into Sand incorporates samples from old rehearsals and live music, continuing a trend from their previous records. The album is further enhanced with snippets of sound from shortwave radio and satellite transmissions, creating an immersive experience that lasts for 45 minutes.