Tame Impala – The Slow Rush

Kevin Parker is one of the most prolific musicians of this generation. Not just because he has written, recorded, and produced all four of his records. It goes a little further than that. Since his 2010 debut Lonerism, Parker has seeped his way into the world of pop, rock, hip-hop, psychedelic, and electronic. From his isolated studio in Australia, his music over the last decade has played a part in inspiring artists across different genres, including A$AP Rocky, Mark Ronson, and Rihanna (just to name a few).

And his cross-genre versatility makes sense when you hear his music. Blending together psychedelic rock with interstellar electronic, and sample-worthy hip-hop beats with retro-filtered funk, Tame Impala’s new album The Slow Rush has Parker setting his own bar a little higher yet again.

The 12-track release spans just under an hour, and is quite an extensive listen. But at the same time, flies by. It is easy to get lost within the layers of sonic detailing and even easier to get lost within the hooks and riffs that Parker seems to craft so effortlessly. Opening with the electro-house “One More Year”, it eases the listener into the album’s catchy and hook-filled existence. Overall, The Slow Rush has a very laid-back energy, even more than his previous albums, especially his 2015 Currents, which seemed to be full of anxiousness masked as psychedelic textures.

But The Slow Rush is purely fun. “Instant Destiny”, and “It Might Be Time” are two songs just waiting to be sampled, with their lo-fi hip-hop edgings. The former is about letting loose and “do something crazy”, while the other is an encouraging hit about facing yourself and making a leap. Even the dark and shadowy “Posthumous Forgiveness”, one of the album’s early lead singles, has a certain bounce to it that makes it enjoyable.

But things pick back up into a fun bounce with the ‘70s-funk tune “Breathe Deeper”. Its groovy bassline, mixed with Parker’s trippy vocals meets its match with the album hit “Lost In Yesterday”. Both tracks are captivating, but the latter comes through with a strong hook and ear-worm chorus that is melodic in true Tame Impala- form.

The remainder of the album is a strong collection of tracks; very few moments on The Slow Rush feel sluggish or misplaced. Even the 7-minute closer “One More Hour” breaks off from the pack in a prog-rock fashion, with Parker’s voice over a repetitive piano chord before slamming into a full-band rock hit. The 12-track effort is certainly Kevin Parker’s strongest release to date, as he continues to impress with his isolated and individualistic music production style.

Head to his website to buy or stream the full album, and catch him on tour this summer (dates below).

Tour dates:

03/09 San Diego, CA – Pechanga Arena San Diego *
03/10 Inglewood, CA – The Forum *
03/11 Inglewood, CA – The Forum *
03/13 San Francisco, CA – Chase Center *
03/19 Mexico City, MEX – Foro Sol $
03/21 Monterrey, MEX – Pal Norte $
05/23 London, UK – All Points East – Victoria Park
05/29 Chicago, IL – United Center #
05/30 Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum #
05/31 Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena #
06/02 Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena #
06/03 Montreal, QC – Bell Centre #
06/06 Washington, DC – Capital One Arena #
06/08 Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center #
06/09 Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena #
06/11 Miami, FL – AmericanAirlines Arena #
06/12 Orlando, FL – Amway Center #
07/17 Minneapolis, MN – Xcel Energy Center #
07/19 St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center #
07/20 Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center #
07/21 Tulsa, OK – BOK Center #
07/23 Austin, TX – Frank Erwin Center #
07/24 Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center #
07/25 Houston, TX – Toyota Center #
07/28 Glendale, AZ – Gila River Arena #
07/30 Denver, CO – Pepsi Center #
08/01 Salt Lake City, UT – Vivint Smart Home Arena #
08/03 Portland, OR – MODA Center #
08/05 Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena #
08/07 George, WA – The Gorge Amphiteathre #