Album Review: Tame Impala - The Slow Rush

Five years on from previous release Currents, Kevin Parker’s Tame Impala project brings psych-rock back to the foreground with The Slow Rush.  

At the top, One More Year navigates the feeling of being stuck in the same place, year after year (“We’re on a rollercoaster stuck on its loop-de-loop”). Its muffled bassline provides a thick body of sound as the stuttering vocal whirs across the track. A sense of ambience continues across Instant Destiny before it's dialled back for the deeper pop-based single Borderline. Lyrically, the track asks many questions - “Will I be known and loved?/Is there one that I trust?” - referencing a panicked state of wonder one might fall into when life speeds by.

Parker addresses a longing to speak to his late father in the more sombre Posthumous Forgiveness. The latter part of the song is soft and vulnerable. “Wanna tell you 'bout my life/Wanna play you all my songs/And hear your voice sing along,” Parker sings over a wave of synths and muddled beats - it's purely emotive and raw.

Parker stands his own ground during the defiant Breathe Deeper - “If you think I couldn’t hold my own/Believe me I can” - propelled forward by the drums and scattered orbiting vocal effects. A heavy guitar synth powers through before the track flickers into the soft, summery mix of coastal Tomorrow’s Dust. It seems the number of instruments and sounds utilised in this release may be endless, yet somehow everything owns its place perfectly. Laser synths and a compelling bassline take over Lost In Yesterday as it navigates the tasteful temptations that coincide with nostalgia and the push-and-pull of finding euphoria within both the past and the future.

The Slow Rush sees Parker doing more of what Parker does well: the musically deep, intricate soundscapes tell a story through funky riffs and unique effects, tones and instrumentation. Harmoniously partnered with Parker's soulful and smooth vocal stylings, the album provides a cloud to float away on. Piercing guitar leads take centre stage during Is It True and are accompanied by a funky disco melody that is sure to bring a solid groove to live shows. Heavily distorted drums and bass power through It Might Be Time proving that Parker fits into no mould. Ending with One More Hour sees us transcend from being stuck in the “loop-de-loop” to being alright with moving forward, hopeful about the future and finding bliss over time.

As the contrasting title suggests, The Slow Rush lyrically encapsulates everyday anxieties, pressures and fears within a slow-burning pool of synth waves, thick basslines and dynamic vocals.