Written by Danielle Adelaide Cairo
Tame Impala’s long-awaited new album, Deadbeat, is not the album you’d expect as is not their usual intriguing sonic sound that everyone loves. It’s to say Kevin Parker missed the target with this one.
Deadbeat is utterly different from crowd favorite Currents (2015), which had an amazing sound through and through by heaping psychedelic rock and a notable heavy bass, which is a true ‘70s aficionado fantasy. This album feels like Kevin Parker is stepping into new territory, which he is. He’s been inspired by the bush doof culture, which is an Australian subculture centered around large, outdoor electronic dance music parties in remote, natural settings like Australia bushland. But, he didn’t exactly hit the needle on the target with that idea. His take on rave music was a little too subtle for how EDM is supposed to sound.
This album lacks vigor and is bland compared to Tame Impala’s usual work. Parker in his previous Tame Impala work always knew how to develop his work seamlessly, without losing his unique sound, until now. By exploring new mediums, it seems like Parker is lacking originality. Deadbeat feels like an album that needed a longer thought process, it has a good foundation but the execution wasn’t all the way there.
“Ethereal Connection” is the one track that has coincided with Parker’s idea with the rave scene. The song consists of kick drums, strong snare effects, claps, and a deep sub-bass. It’s an energetic, dynamic and danceable track. There are sections that feel super ethereal with Parker’s voice mixed in with the use of pads, while he’s singing “Take a Ride/Say Goodbye…”
“Dracula,” the album’s third and last single, has traces of old Tame Impala but Parker plays it safe with this one. It’s disco-like but not overboard, yet not enough to satisfy listeners’ ears.. The harmonizations and instrumentations are cool, yet not much stood out. He’s playing with poppier tunes on this album, something his fans aren’t used to from him.
Deadbeat doesn’t fall in line with Tame Impala’s old sound. The album is steady and uniform but it does not symbolize Parker’s usual inclination for to creativity. It lacks the juice we once heard from Tame Impala. It feels like Parker, an artist that constantly broke new ground, has become generic. Maybe this album is a starter, a learning process to create something new and big. Let’s see if his next chapter swings us away like the previous ones, maybe it will be as fascinating as we hope for.
