★★★★☆
In the world of ethereal psychedelic rock, Tame Impala stands above the rest. The one and only Kevin Parker has spent his entire music career perfecting the art of controlled chaos, and his new album, Deadbeat, is destined to hit No. 1 on the charts. Released on Friday, Tame Impala’s fifth studio album isn’t a reinvention so much as an evolution: Entwined in Parker’s signature dream-like haze, the album feels both like a homecoming and a rebirth.
Don’t be scared by the title, Deadbeat is anything but lifeless. The record spins like a hallucinatory roller coaster, so get ready for the ride.
“My Old Ways” opens the album with a piano that transforms into a pulsing beat. The house vibes slowly creep in, yet the track still carries that unmistakable, psychedelic feel.
“I tell myself I’m only human / I know I, I said never again / Temptation, feels like it never ends,” sings Parker.
By the end, the song evolves into a fully electronic rhythm. Its first half has an intimate feel, almost like hearing an old friend’s demo for the first time. The vocals are nostalgic-sounding, invoking a yearning for something you never even experienced.
“Oblivion” feels like your ears are ringing after a night out. Heavily distorted and overwhelming, the track isn’t for everyone.
“Ethereal Connection,” while objectively strong, feels slightly off-brand for Tame Impala’s core sound. The song leans into Sara Landry-style techno minimalism, which just doesn’t feel right coming from Tame Impala.
Next up is “Piece Of Heaven,” which lives up to its name. The beat is backed by an angelic entourage of instruments and heavenly cherub-crafted synths, and the beat drop presents the listener with a New Order-esque earworm. Letting us go with an elegant piano postlude and an assortment of different vocal octaves, this piece reflects Parker’s A-list craftsmanship.
“Obsolete” brings us back to the iconic Innerspeaker feel. Its synth-heavy soundscape restores balance and grounds the listener in a psychedelic fog. It’s hypnotic and cave-like, with textures that seem to drift in and out of consciousness—you can almost visualize the beat.
“Loser” begins with a 10-second groovy guitar solo that guides us through the vocalist’s inner psyche. The beat indulges the listener into Parker’s anxious thoughts in a way that is much more poetic than the average civilian’s.
“Man, it’s a crisis, I’m never like this / I’m a loser, babe,” Parker sings.
“Afterthought” sounds exactly like its title—an 11th-hour add-on that came straight from his innermost subconscious. The listener can feel that rushed, excited feeling of adrenaline with the beginning guitar track and ’80s-inspired drum.
Next up is “Dracula,” which is perfectly on brand for the month of October. Beginning with a haunting solo chorus, this song captures the Halloween vibe.
“The morning light is turning blue, the feeling is bizarre,” sings Parker. “Run from the sunlight / Dracula”
Parker uses rich imagery that evokes the hazy feeling of being stranded after a night out. He ends with sparkling synths that swell around his voice, and leaves listeners wondering, “What exactly are you hiding from, Parker?”
“End Of Summer” strays from Parker’s usual alternative psychedelic rock, incorporating signature house beats. Still, the track lacks the depth of older songs like “Endors Toi,” “Keep On Lying,” or “New Person, Same Old Mistakes.”
That being said, one of the greatest aspects of Tame Impala’s music is exactly the unpredictability of its structure.
“That’s always something that I get a kick out of: just shaking up expectations,” Parker told Apple Music.
Parker’s venture into house music isn’t entirely unprecedented. His feature on Justice’s Hyperdrama hinted at this “sudden” shift, as did his collaboration with Gorillaz on “New Gold.” The house influences here even carry shades of Major Lazer’s “Jessica.”
You might not know what beat will come next, but one thing is for sure: You will be enamored by it. Because when Parker sets his mind to something, he does it right. Well-crafted and melodically interesting, Deadbeat is satisfying. The album maintains Tame Impala’s position as one of the best in his field.