As soon as I flipped on Currents I knew it would become my new soundtrack and favorite album of the year. Granted Tame Impala is my favorite band and to me everything Kevin Parker touches is nothing short of genius, so the odds of falling in love with this album were pretty favorable. However, even if you take away my affection for arguably the most innovative yet accessible band out there aside, it is simply easy to fall madly in love with this album.
From the opening track “Let it Happen” Tame reveals everything this album is made of. It is different, a lot different from previous Parker masterpieces Lonerism and InnerSpeaker. This, the electronic album of the bunch, has nothing but loops, grooves and beats – hot beats. “Nangs” is a delicious morsel that I wish lasted longer. It is so much more than a segway from “Let it Happen” to “The Moment”. It’s almost as if Kevin is just showing off how well he can master loops with original grooves. “The Moment” is pure magic! It has classic Tame Impala psychedelic layers but robotic like beeps.
One of the many elements which tie the album together are all the snaps, claps and other prominent tempo components which are literally all over this album. It creates a funky, soulful vibe. I dig it so much.
“Eventually” is a gigantic track which features those claps. The ripping guitar lines, heart retching lyrics and the groove so excellent that it forces you to at the very least bop your head but most likely sway uncontrollably, make it nothing short of an epic track. Oh man, “The Less I Know the Better”, I love this song. It is like Kevin pulled pieces of Lonerism, amped up the funk and added stellar falsetto vocals. The dude is a scientist, magician, prophet etc.
“Disciples” is a short little ditty that belongs on an Ariel Pink record. It’s flippin’ catchy, you’ll play it on repeat, I guarantee. “Love/Paranoia” has slowly become one of my favorites on the album. The depth of this song is incredible. It evolves into a beautiful ballad with so much honesty it hurts. “Cause I’m a Man” (WOMAN) is such a sexy gem. I adored this song when it was released as one of the many singles and it fits perfectly with the rest of the record. The final track “New Person, Same Mistakes” has some stellar drum beats a la Flying Lotus. Again, Parker is very honest and real with the lyrics on this song. The track is overwhelming almost, with a euphoric and heavy atmosphere. It engulfs the listener with all its layers. I was so distracted by the intricate beat and groove that the lyrics were lost on me until a couple of listens. The bridge even features signature Tame guitar psych pop bliss. It’s a luscious track and perfect way to end this mesmerizing album.
I whole heartedly love Currents. Very rarely does a band take risks and it pay off tenfold for them. Tame Impala have secured themselves as my favorite band but more impressively they opened up their career to something more than just the “princes of psych pop”. With Currents Tame Impala made it impossible to pigeonhole them into one specific genre, they transcended expectations and created a record with passion. A record we all can be passionate about and that’s what KJHK is really about, isn’t it.
Recommended If You Like: Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Caribou, Toro Y Moi
Recommended Tracks: 13 (New Person, Same Old Mistakes), 5 (Eventually), 3 (The Moment)
Do Not Play: 4 (Yes I’m Changing) 7 (The Less I Know the Better) 10 (Cause I’m A Man), 12 (Love/Paranoia)
Written by Emilie Stafford on 08/30/2015