Day 195: Tame Impala – Currents
Due to my aforementioned nervous system business, I’ve been googling relaxing albums. Apparently my heart rate variability is crap and I have very little stress resilience — and here I thought I was feeling pretty chill. Even on a day when I’m having a nice time, apparently my nervous system is going “what’s that, boss? Lion nearby?” No lion, I am in Scotland, there are no predators, except of course of the human variety. To cut a long story short, I need to learn how to chill so I’ll be listening to Tame Impala.
Album cover courtesy of Interscope Records
I always thought Tame Impala was a band, but apparently it just consists of a guy. Kevin Parker is a multi-instrumentalist and writes, plays, produces and sings everything on every song, and today’s album was made entirely by him from beginning to end. He released a video of his incredibly chill-looking recording process of him just sipping on a drink and casually putting together something that ends up sounding fantastic, and he explains the process in equally simple terms:
It’s literally just me in a room. I love to have everything within reach, so that it starts resembling a cockpit. I love to be able to put my hands on a keyboard, to have a guitar and a bass within reach, as well as all the effects. Then I just piece it together.
Released in 2015, Currents was Tame Impalas third album, and it ended up becoming his most successful album to date. It represented a huge change in musical direction from Tame Impala’s previous psychedelic rock sound, as he pivoted to making synth-heavy electronic pop. He says the sound was inspired by Fleetwood Mac’s pulsating, clean, and smooth sound, and he wanted to make something that had a similar feel, as well as wanting to make music people can dance to.
This would be among my top choices to listen to if I had taken something to impair my state. The vibes are impeccable, slightly psychedelic but in a mellow and relaxing way. He takes you on a very nice little journey that’s heavily accompanied by synths. And not only is the sound suitable, but the whole theme of the album is letting go, moving on and becoming someone new. For Parker, it was about shifting after a break up in ways you probably didn’t want to, but it seems to also be about letting go and embracing change and growth, no matter where it comes from.
I’ve got a whole new appreciation for Tame Impala. I’d heard some of the songs from Currents before and while I liked them very much, I never took the time to find out anything about Tame Impala or listen to a full album, but I’m very glad I finally did it. It’s a very mellow and groovy album that’s easy to sink into, and while it makes for easy listening, it’s more complex than I expected it to be. It’s one of those albums where if you properly give it the time of day, you’re sure to get something out of it. And the fact that it was made by one person makes it all the more impressive.
I know Currents a very well-regarded album that had lots of fans and was critically acclaimed, but dare I say it might still be a bit underrated. Will listen to it again, hopefully many times. It’s a very solid 9.5/10.