Currents: A Full Analysis Of Sound and Style (10 Year Anniversary)

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Ten years ago, Tame Impala had already released its first two albums: ‘InnerSpeaker‘ and ‘Lonerism‘. The latter produced hits such as ‘Feels Like We Only Go Backwards‘ and ‘Elephant‘. Kevin Parker, the man behind Tame Impala, had already proven himself to be a competent musician who created powerful, modern psychedelic rock that combines a variety of influences.

However, 17th July 2015 saw the release of his third effort: ‘Currents‘. The album, which spans 51 minutes split into 13 tracks, is arguably still his best release. Moreover, it was Parker’s first attempt at having no collaborators to assist him. In addition, he wrote, produced, mixed, and performed the LP entirely on his own. I think this record is a very personal creation. This artist is careful with his decisions and the intentions behind them.

Let It Happen

This opening track does a great job of setting the tone for the rest of the album. If I think about Tame Impala, one of my first thoughts is always the strong basslines that carry so many tracks. This one is certainly a great example of this. I’d describe the core elements of this song as psychedelic rock. Despite this, it also contains some high points for synth pop fans. The synth riff that carries the song through its narrative journey is brilliantly produced. On my first listen, I genuinely had to check that my phone wasn’t glitching out when it began to skip.

Another thing I love about this track, and the record generally, is the journey of emotion. There’s something sinister in the way Parker plays with minor keys. However, there are elements of upbeat disco and house influences. It’s been compared to the likes of Daft Punk by fans and critics alike. There is a clear element of electropop and house that runs through this single. Yet, it still has some psych rock qualities through a faint guitar and the audible journey it takes its listener on.

Eventually

This track plays effortlessly, introducing large-scale sounds combined with pulling it back to focus solely on the auto-tuned vocals, a firm bassline, and some quiet synth. Emotion is explored through the scale of the soundscape. The lyricism is quite bleak. The line, ‘But I know that I’ll be happier / And I know you will too.‘ is poignant to me through its simplicity. Throughout ‘Currents‘, the more you pay attention to the lyrics, the more depth and bitter truth there is to discover.

This emotional push alongside his experimental sound was created through painstaking hours of recording, mixing, and producing to create the exact effect Parker intended. Therefore, there were multiple delays along with thousands of unused takes.

The Less I Know The Better

This track is now Tame Impala’s biggest hit on Spotify, and for good reason. When thinking back to 2015, this song often comes to mind. It’s become iconic and synonymous with the time period it was released in. It’s a beginner track to modern psychedelia. It led me down the path of the likes of Mac DeMarco and The Mystery Lights. Yet I’d still describe this song as a pop song. This doesn’t take away from its skill but demonstrates how good pop can be if enough care and thought is put into the decision-making.

The lyrics continue the overarching theme of the record: breakup. Whilst not everything centers on this, there is a real feeling of melancholy throughout. Many tracks explicitly discuss the end of a relationship or at least crossed wires. I think the line, ‘Not the greatest feeling ever.’ is a prime example of the simplicity yet effectiveness of Parker’s songwriting.

New Person, Same Old Mistakes

Closing the record is another one of Tame Impala’s biggest hits. ‘New Person, Same Old Mistakes‘ is the perfect wrap-up to the LP as a whole. The sitar sound used in the bridges is distinct yet blends perfectly into the mix. Of course, this is another example of a catchy and unique bassline. I admire how every bassline on this album is different and yet so easy to enjoy.

One of my only faults is that I think this track drags a little bit. This isn’t the longest song on the record. Even so, I think any song over the 4-minute mark is taking a risk. This one just gets a bit lost for me. I think it feels quite repetitive and can lose itself a bit on such a tight release.

This is the first record of Tame Impala that isn’t so clear-cut to distinguish. There are clear elements of synth pop, house, and R&B, along with the iconic psychedelic rock that dominated the first two records. ‘Currents‘ represents a shift in Parker’s career. It’s an advancement in sound that has helped maintain his status as a real musical genius.

Ten years on, and the record is still a hit. Critical reception surrounding it also continues. ‘Currents‘ charted on Rolling Stone’s ‘The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time’ piece back in 2020. As well as this, the record was involved in musical landmarks. It was the first album to reach the top spot on the UK’s ‘Official Progressive Albums Chart‘. Parker’s pure passion that he poured into this record has helped cement it in music history.

Tame Impala is on Instagram and X. You can stream ‘Currents‘ below or buy and read more anniversary pieces here.

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