Tame Impala Reveal New Single Let It Happen

When interviewed at the tail end of last year, although keeping his cards close to his chest, Tame Impala keyboardist Jay Watson hinted that their new album would be “less rock again and more electronic, even more than the last one”, which came as some surprise from a band who had been given the moniker of ‘a contemporary Beatles’.

‘Let It Happen’, the first release from the distinguished psychedelic band’s much anticipated follow up to the Grammy-nominated ‘Lonerism’, immediately suggests the evolution into a more electronica-tinged psychedelia, a natural progression from the acid drenched guitar-based sound established with their first two full-length releases.

The sprawling drum beat pounds throughout the course of the eight-minute journey of a track, only to be muted ever so slightly during the verses when lead singer Kevin Parker’s understated yet glittery acid-soaked vocals loop over the hazy synths. Culminating in progressive kaleidoscopic exploration of ambient electronica, this is indicative of the band’s extensive jams on stage being introduced to the studio after touring the world for the past three years, drawing influences ranging from The Flaming Lips to Caribou.

Marking a new direction from the heralded ‘Innerspeaker’ and ‘Lonerism’, Kevin Parker almost addresses the sceptics with “Let It Happen” echoing into your ears, beckoning you to meander with the band into new territory, yet maintaining their introverted and psychedelic sensibilities.

Although clocking in at just under eight minutes, ‘Let It Happen’ could potentially be one of the pop singles of the year with its grandiose radio-friendly synth hook, and with a new album due for release this year, we are highly anticipating the interstellar sonic adventure from Tame Impala.

By Thomas Curtis-Horsfall