Like the span between
Currents and
The Slow Rush, another five years passed between
Tame Impala albums until the release of 2025's
Deadbeat. During that gap,
Kevin Parker worked with
Diana Ross,
Gorillaz,
Dua Lipa, and
Justice, which hint at the spirit of what would become the fifth
Tame Impala full-length. Continuing in the expansive dance-centric style of its two predecessors, this set is built for body moving, more specifically in the setting of an Australian bush doof. Named after the onomatopoeic "doof doof" pounding of a big techno bass drum kick, the bush doof subculture centers on far-flung raves held in, where else, the bush. Even if one has never been to a doof,
Deadbeat gets the message across with its dozen pulsing gems. The immediate standout "Dracula" is the big pop single, a sleek, radio-friendly banger inspired by
Max Martin, and the sweaty funk of "Loser" offers an early breather, but the rest of the effort dials back the accessible aspirations and shifts focus to the overall ebb and flow of this particular party. Floating into the cosmos along the sci-fi synths of "Oblivion," listeners are cast off on the heady trip of "Not My World," a hypnotic trance escape. There are nods to
Enya on the wistful "Piece of Heaven" and
Daft Punk on the retro "Obsolete." Meanwhile, "Ethereal Connection" takes cues from
Underworld as the beat assault slowly builds to one of the most satisfying releases on
Deadbeat. The mind is further altered on the closing "End of Summer," a seven-minute epic that rides a fist-pumping beat through swirling space dust. Though it only clocks in at an hour, it certainly feels like a full night of dancing until sunrise with
Parker on the decks. His thoughtful pacing doles out thrilling moments worth waiting for, while the slower segments allow for the energy to build again. So if the thought of an outback rave might bring to mind a frantic, lawless bacchanal, the vibes on
Deadbeat offer a more mesmerizing experience, one that dance escapists can easily get lost in. ~ Neil Z. Yeung
