‘Deadbeat’: Tame Impala’s new album is anything but…

Tame Impala, a psychedelic music project by the Australian artist, Kevin Parker, have just released a new album, Deadbeat, and it could be their best yet, even better than their standout 2015 work, Currents. Considering it has been five years since Parker last released music, expectations were high, and I’m pleased to say I think they have been met. The Slow Rush, released in 2020, was a nostalgic rumination lyrically, catapulting the project into a new landscape sonically, certainly laying the foundations for Deadbeat this year.

Parker revealed he “thrive[ s ] on” time alone, in isolation – “a time of reflection” from which the album was born

Track 2, ‘No Reply’, stands out as an album highlight, an electronic beat fuelling dense synths and aching lyrics about insecurity. The instrumentation creates the atmosphere of a pounding club, sweat dripping from your brow, floor sticky with alcohol, while “When I should be out with some friends of mine” is sung over the top, perfectly capturing the feelings of being behind in life that everyone feels in today’s day and age. In an Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe, Parker revealed he “thrive[ s ] on” time alone, in isolation – “a time of reflection” from which the album was born. All releases under the Tame Impala name are written, recorded, played, and produced by Parker, so this time alone really helps him to “capture a musical idea as it floats by”.

The lead single from the album, ‘End of Summer’, is another key moment, beginning with a soundscape of captured voice memos, placing you straight into Parker’s personal life. Drums then pile in, foregrounding the techno-vibe of the album: while it’s the last track on the album, for many fans, it was the first song they would’ve heard from the new project. From nowhere, a ‘Stranger Things-esque’ synth comes in, effortlessly constructing the setting for the song – it’s the end of summer, a time of reminiscence and yearning, hopefully waiting for the same time to roll around again next year.

Lyrically, this song comes to fruition in the bridge, “Love doesn’t cast a shadow / Fun doesn’t make you shallow” staring into Parker’s core beliefs. Relationships don’t have to be something concrete and material, but rather dynamic and different for all people. “I just wanna make it brighter” emphasises his desire to be a source of relief for his lover, the kind of home that we all crave. The track concludes with vocoder, sonically capturing the fun of summer, before a drum hit leaves listeners in anticipation. Parker almost dives into the unknown at the resolution of ‘End of Summer’; fans picturing him jump, him turn, him streamlining, but not him hitting the water. The plain is left wide open for the next iteration of Tame Impala.

The lyrics and instrumentation blend perfectly to create a cathartic, self-confrontational body of work

While the album has some soaring highs, there are some songs I feel could have been cut to make a shorter, more cohesive record. ‘Not My World’ is significantly lacking in comparison to other tracks on the album, not really adding anything instrumentally, and the lack of lyrics leaves listeners wanting more. ‘Piece Of Heaven’ contains one of my favourite moments on the album. In the final minute, acoustic piano and powerful harmonies send listeners to heaven, but the rest of the song feels unnecessary; within the twelve-track run, perhaps Parker could’ve included this last minute as an interlude, rather than a full piece. ‘Obsolete’ is – well – obsolete, and that’s all I’ll say about that one.

On a more positive note, track 5, ‘Oblivion’, feels like the turning point of the album – we follow on from a run of pretty dense tracks (‘No Reply’, ‘Dracula’, and ‘Loser’) into a more appealingly stripped-back sound, less instrumentation, leaving more room for emotion. Parker sings of falling in love, just as the album shifts from one that we can have a dance to, to one we adore. ‘Oblivion’ is the album’s metamorphosis, from pop album to transcendent art. The constant repetition of “I would” throughout the chorus encapsulates the yearning and desperation Parker feels for his lover: if it’s not her, it’s no one. As the song concludes, all orchestration is pulled away, leaving nothing but layered vocals and a genuine qualification – his love isn’t just a means for making music; it’s the essential lifeblood coursing through his veins that keeps him going.

Deadbeat is an absolute career highlight for Tame Impala, and hopefully an indicator of where the project is heading. The lyrics and instrumentation blend perfectly to create a cathartic, self-confrontational body of work which might rank as the best Tame Impala album yet.

Recommended Listening: ‘End of Beginning’, ‘Oblivion’

★★★★

Listen to Deadbeat here: