Earlier this month, Tame Impala released an EP with three new tracks and remixes of two popular songs from their most recent album, Currents.
The five songs are characterized by catchy melodies, shifts in tone and the flowy, trippy instrumental work the psychedelic rock band does best — they fit well together. Each song is a positive addition to the Tame catalog; Kevin Parker is a sound engineering genius and consistently creates intricate, remarkable musical works. The grooviest song from the release, “List of People (To Try and Forget About)” is a perfect example of this.
“List of People” starts with low tones but gradually gets higher until Parker’s bouncy vocals are introduced. Apart from the slow and sultry final minute, this track has a happy and upbeat tone that starkly contrasts with — and distracts from — the dismal lyrics about a break up.
Sometimes, the band will make their most pop-electronica sounding songs (“The Less I Know The Better” or “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards”) short and sweet, and they avoid delving into their occasionally droning electronic jams. On this EP, both of the new songs with lyrics sound like they could be on the radio if they were shaved down a minute — something that would likely please fans of their shorter work and their instrumental beats.
“Powerlines” is a roughly 4-minute instrumental, with some occasional vague uttering of “Powerline” from a robotic voice, that starts off low and slow but picks up toward the end. Though this track does get a little repetitive, it’s easy and catchy to listen to and serves as a good transition.
“Taxi’s Here” has a steady and distinct drum beat repeating under almost the entirety of the song — a unique touch that highlights band members’ expertise with a multitude of instruments.
The remixes, — one of which was produced by Tame member Jay Watson — cradle the songs they build off of instead of outshining (and thus ruining) them. GUM (Watson) and electronic trio Soulwax add dramatic electronic components that stick out against the EP’s simple tracks.
Tame Impala is a very consistent, unwavering band in terms of quality standards, and this five-song beauty proves that. They show mastery of their craft by balancing careful experimentation with a dependable sound.
Although Parker revealed in an interview with Zane Lowe that at least one of the songs has been written for a while, this EP is a good sign that future Tame Impala music will live up to their work thus far.
