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Tame Impala, the project of Australian musician Kevin Parker, is taking a new direction with the release of his fifth studio album “Deadbeat.“
Known for groovy synths and swirling psychedelic pop, Parker softens his signature sound on this record, incorporating mellow guitar riffs and a more relaxed rhythm. The result is an album that feels reflective yet refreshingly experimental.
“Deadbeat” explores the tension between staying home in isolation and rejoining the world’s chaos and energy, according to Stereogum. The cover art, a portrait of Parker and his daughter, reinforces that personal touch, grounding Tame Impala’s usually larger-than-life sound in something more intimate and human.
Completely Unexpected
“Deadbeat” is completely unique and one of the most distinct releases in Tame Impala’s catalog.
Parker takes a sharp turn on this record. Instead of the crisp, danceable grooves that define his past work, “Deadbeat” leans into a raw, minimalist sound that feels intentionally unrefined.
Parker, who often relies on digital tools like drum machines and keyboard-generated guitar effects to achieve his signature retro-futuristic tone, stripped things back this time. On tracks like “No Reply” and “My Old Ways,” he swaps complex synth arrangements for a simple piano and a looser, more analog feel.
“All the drum machines are going through guitar amps,” and he “wanted to make a simple, shabby-sounding album,” Parker said in an interview with The New Yorker.
Reactions from fans and music critics have been mixed, saying this new sound is unimpressive and mediocre, according to Stereogum. Stereogum goes so far as to call it Tame Impala’s first album that doesn’t rock, not even slightly.
Unique Chords
Parker experiments with a series of fresh and unconventional chord progressions on “Deadbeat.”
While most pop songs are written in a major key, which gives them a bright, upbeat sound, Parker leans into minor progressions to create a darker and more introspective feel.
The result is a moody and melancholic tone that showcases Parker’s ability to reimagine pop and highlights the album’s themes of isolation and reflection.
For example, in “No Reply,” the song roots around a B flat minor chord, which already gives a darker, more introspective tone, in comparison to a major key.
On “Obsolete,” the eighth track on the album, Parker closes the song with an interesting series of riffs, played by both a synth and an acoustic guitar. This closing to the song is extremely unique and is atypical for a guitar solo because instead of showcasing technical speed or skill, it focuses on tone, layering and emotion. The guitar’s warm tone and reverb blends seamlessly with the synth, creating an almost dreamlike fade-out that feels introspective rather than triumphant.
Standout Tracks
One of the most notable tracks is “Loser,” which was the first track to be released from the album Sept. 3.
“Loser” is a sad, yet catchy ballad that laments Parker’s despair and tragedy, with lyrics such as “I’m a loser, babe / Do you wanna tear my heart out? / I’m a tragedy / Tryna figure my whole life out.” Parker reflects on “genuine feelings of unworthiness” contrasted with the many awards he’s won for his records, according to Music Daily.
The most different, and arguably most confusing, track on the album is “Ethereal Connection.”
This 8-minute house-inspired song stands out because it feels oddly out of place compared to the rest of the album. It features a booming bass line and a repetitive drum loop that leans into techno, yet it’s missing something essential to the genre: a satisfying beat drop.
While the track’s hypnotic rhythm is intriguing at first, its repetition becomes draining over time and it clashes with the emotional, melancholic tone that defines much of the album.
The album’s most popular — and catchiest — track is “Dracula,” which has racked up more than 46 million streams on Spotify, according to Kworb.
“Dracula” captures the same upbeat, groovy energy fans know from Parker’s earlier albums, like “The Slow Rush” and “Currents.”
Still, the song stands out with its dark, playful twist that makes it perfect for the Halloween season. It features a pulsing rhythm and haunting synths which makes it stick in your head long after it ends.
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Contact Alexa McGlathery via email: alexa.mcglathery@pepperdine.edu
