Faithless back with original sound for Good Vibrations at Centennial Park

FAITHLESS' Sister Bliss explains why their definitive sound is back and her love for Dougy Mandagi.

FAITHLESS are back in business. After two albums fizzled, the band that barged their way into the dance music scene more than a decade ago made a triumphant return last year with the album "The Dance".

And Maxi Jazz and Sister Bliss have brought that definitive Faithless sound back with them - the deep house anthems with which they carved their name. Sure they've tweaked it a little - because their original sound was so loved other artists started copying it.

"We heard a host of records that had ripped off our sound," Sister Bliss says. "So we thought we might as well come back and do our thing in a modern, relevant way, because everybody else was doing it with a big old riff and a drop and this and that.

"I mean, God almighty, you couldn't move for all the records that sounded a bit Faithless."

The Brits' trademark rhythms and beats sent punters nuts over early singles We Come One, Insomnia and God is a DJ.

But with The Dance Faithless have taken ownership of their original format, refined it and updated its delivery by using social media as a key marketing tool.

"I'm really happy that the Faithless of old is back," Sister Bliss says. "The last two albums we made were very mellow, you know, that was just part of where we were at the time. I was pregnant with my son and I just wasn't feeling in that clubby headspace.

"People were like 'Oh Faithless have gone a bit quiet', but I was like 'No, we just made more melancholy, reflective albums'."

The new album's first single, Not Coming Home, was a sure sign that Maxi Jazz was adept as ever at twisting words as few artists can.

"My simple intention tonight may not rest, 'til I invest these proceedings with vigour and zest," he writes.

Sister Bliss says: "On this album Maxi is as gifted lyrically as ever. I love his insight. I love that sometimes it's not entirely clear what he is saying but it reveals itself to you later."

The group have been buoyed by the feedback they've received to the album through Facebook and Twitter.

"It's been amazing, especially given it's such a difficult time to sell records at the moment," Sister Bliss says.

As with their past five studio albums, Faithless roped in a host of collaborators.

Dido returns for tracks Feelin' Good and North Star, but it was the inclusion of the soaring voice of Temper Trap frontman Dougy Mandagi that pricked the ears of Aussie fans.

"When I first heard them I was like, 'These guys are good'," Sister Bliss says of The Temper Trap. "Dougy's voice is amazing and it's fairly rare that I fall in love with a voice.

"We rang the record company and asked if he would be up for doing a collaboration, and the next thing you know he was in the studio and we had recorded something."

Faithless, Good Vibrations Festival, Centennial Park, Sydney, Saturday February 12, Tickets $149.90/$249.90 from Moshtik.com.au