Tame Impala is back, and yes, I’m celebrating. If you’re anything like me, you have also spent countless hours scrolling on TikTok through footage of Tame Impala concerts circa 2015. But fear no more, the opportunity to be in the audience has finally come. He will be touring his new album on the “Deadbeat Tour” beginning in late October 2025 in the U.S. and continuing through spring 2026 with shows in Europe and the UK. If you’ve been searching for your next unforgettable live music experience, look no further. If Kevin Parker’s impressive stage presence in the past is any indication of what this new tour has in store, it’s safe to say you won’t be disappointed.
Following 2020’s “The Slow Rush”, Parker gave us nothing but relative silence. It seems that he was quite busy behind the scenes. His fifth studio album, “Deadbeat”, was announced on Sept. 4 after the release of two singles, “End of Summer” and “Loser”. After much anticipation, it finally arrived on Oct. 17 via Columbia. Containing 12 tracks and 56 minutes of club-forward and bodily tracks, it’s (dare I say?) his best work yet. The aesthetic of this album is a pivot from the introspective pop that defined his past music. While albums like “Currents” (2015) and “The Slow Rush” (2020) were breakup albums disguised as electronic synths, it seems Parker is no longer interested in wallowing. “Deadbeat” is a rave in music form, riddled with joy not typically characteristic of his music. “Deadbeat” is what it feels like to move on following a breakup. It is about what happens when you stop reflecting and start moving. Replacing the soft pleading vocals with pounding beats, Parker has reinvented his sound.
Here are three tracks especially worth your attention:
“End of Summer”
As the album’s opener and first single, “End of Summer” is a paradox of simultaneous loneliness and hope. Its trance beats make it sound like a season of isolation ending, allowing for the beginning of something much more liberating. More than seven minutes of EDM that makes you feel like dancing under aggressively bright strobe lights, “End of Summer” is worth a listen.
“Loser”
In this track, Parker explores feelings of imposter syndrome. Incorporating funk-pop strokes, it incorporates a cheeky and fun take on Parker’s struggles. Reinvention isn’t always easy, and this track’s seemingly ironic title proves that.
“Dracula”
If the title isn’t indication enough, this track takes on an entirely new “confident and nocturnal” vibe. Parker’s attempt at bold pop in a way he’s never done before successfully embraces dance-floor, rave-style music while maintaining his signature dream-space vibe.
While it may be unlike anything else he’s ever made, “Deadbeat” is proof that Tame Impala can never get old and is capable of impressive artistic evolution. His music has never been about perfection; what makes him unique is his ability to create a space to float while still feeling like your feet are on the ground. He may have taken a new approach, but it’s safe to say Tame Impala has done it again.
