Tame Impala have just released their third single of the year, “It Might Be Time”–a glimpse of their upcoming album due on Valentine’s Day, The Slow Rush. Kevin Parker, the man who single-handedly produces all the band’s music, has always been a perfectionist when completing an album, hence the name The Slow Rush. Parker refuses to give his listeners any content which doesn’t exemplify his absolute best work, explaining the four-year gap between the last album, Currents, and the most recent. It is the struggle of finalizing an album which truly makes it a slow rush.
The renowned psychedelic sound that has infiltrated every previous album has graciously made a comeback, this time incorporating a hypnotic and heavy percussion that steadily pulses throughout the track. Tame Impala’s sound stems from the original roots of psychedelic rock found in their very first album, Innerspeaker. Since then, Parker has stuck with these famous tones, developing a taste for elements of electronic and pop music all through his years as a producer. “It Might Be Time” is a fusion of his old and new persona, with the overarching theme of the song being the loss of youth.
“You ain’t as fun as you used to be/ You ain’t as cool as you used to be” are the lyrics that give us a window into Parker’s complex mind. Coming to the realization that he has partly misplaced his individuality, he loses sight of his identity and future, a feeling that resonates with many. Nonetheless, Parker turns to creating music, a process fueled by the emotions that weigh him down, a rather somber but fruitful series of actions.
An accented piano riff along with shifting synths echo the beloved mesh of pop and psychedelic rock. The song finishes with a traditional sizzling guitar, an important ingredient present in the band’s discography. Parker makes sure to select the components of his production carefully, presenting only his best. His talent only blossoms with time, as seen in the single produced nine years after the very first album. As we patiently wait for February 14th, be sure to get a sweet preview here:
