Tame Impala - Currents B Sides & Remixes

Tame Impala
Currents B Sides & Remixes
2017
Spotify

I've mentioned my rules about B Sides and Remix albums on this blog a few times now, a rule I've also broken more than I probably should have. However every now and again something comes along that I just can't resist, something so enticing that I need to listen to it and I need to write about it. Tame Impala and especially his fantastic album from 2015 Currents are two of those things. IN a surprise move Tame Impala released this collection of recordings from the Currents sessions as well as two remixes. The first three new tracks are the new ones, but they totally capture the spirit of Currents this totally inspired world where genres of music blend together in this amazing soupy mess. He's heralded for being outside of the box, but you forget how great Tame Impala is at writing a catchy song as well. The vocalless "Powerlines" is a real standout as it starts from this real aggressive place and then slowly but surely descends into this somewhat dance track propelled by this constant drum beat. It is such an interesting track, and so vibrant the fact that it didn't make it on to the full album is really baffling. You get that sense from all three of the new songs, what could it have been that didn't allow these to make the cut? "Taxi's Here" is maybe the one track that is a little too different but still has this great sense of meandering and waiting around.

However, even with all this greatness around the true star of the record is Soulwax's remix of "Let it Happen". If you've ever been anywhere with people who care about music you've likely heard this nine minute epic. It takes an already great song and turns it into 10 other things that are just as great. It swirls and moves at this fantastic pace never loosing the bass line that makes this song so fucking special. I could probably write an entire post about just this song but I will keep it short in saying it really is one of the best remixes of all time. For an EP of B-Sides and remixes to be this diverse and this in line with what the original album tried to do is really amazing. If you haven't listened to Currents first of all get your shit together, but also tack this EP on with it, its just more awesome music.

9.0 out of 10