On March 22, Tame Impala released their first single since their critically-acclaimed album “Currents” debuted in July of 2015. Since then, the Australian psychedelic rock project led by mastermind Kevin Parker has taken the world and music industry by storm. Though he started out as your typical indie rocker, Parker has since gone mainstream with his production in collaboration with artists such as Mark Ronson, Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Travis Scott and SZA.
“Patience” is a five-minute track with a heavy disco influence, layered over a prominent synth beat that flows effortlessly with Parker’s falsetto. First-year California State University, Monterey Bay student Ashley Romo reacted to the song saying, “I feel like I’m living a disco fantasy!”
Despite having four years to experiment with the project’s sound, many fans complained the new song sounds as though it could have easily been featured on “Currents” or the “Currents B-Sides & Remixes” EP released in 2017.
While this lack of distinction has been viewed as a negative reaction to Tame Impala’s return, it only proves that Parker has mastered the sound he has been working to establish since their self-titled debut EP from 2008. It is nearly impossible to compare the essence of Tame Impala to other modern artists in the industry, as their genre is fluid, often consisting of psychedelic guitar, upbeat synthesizers, slacker-style reverb and infectious rock ‘n’ roll drums.
Though the lyrics are ambiguous, the central theme of “time waits for no one” is extremely evident, regardless of the listener’s interpretation. The song opens with the question, “Has it really been that long?” which could possibly be alluding to their four-year absence as Parker ventured into different projects.
The song continues into the chorus, “Just growing up in stages, living life in phases, another season changes and still, my days are shapeless,” following suit of previous Tame Impala songs discussing personal evolution such as “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” and “Yes I’m Changing.”
“Patience” serves not only as a strong return for Parker and Tame Impala, but as a single for their forthcoming album to be expected later this year. Tame Impala headlined Treasure Island Music Festival last October, a popular Bay Area-based music festival held at Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in Oakland, and is one of three headliners at Coachella next month in Southern California.