Tame Impala is officially back. Kevin Parker, the mastermind behind the Australian psych-pop project, has announced his long-awaited fifth studio album, Deadbeat, set for release on October 17 via Columbia Records. The announcement follows weeks of cryptic teasers and the release of two singles—“End of Summer” and “Loser.”
Deadbeat follows Parker’s 2020 album The Slow Rush, a critically acclaimed, disco-infused record that debuted at No. 1 in multiple countries and won five ARIA Awards, including Album of the Year. It also earned Parker Grammy nominations. With Deadbeat just over a month away, here’s everything we know so far.
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Recorded between Fremantle and Parker’s Wave House studio in Injidup, Western Australia, Deadbeat has been described as “deeply inspired by bush doof culture and the Western Australian rave scene.”
In true Tame Impala fashion, the rollout for Deadbeat has been layered and enigmatic. On July 18, fans noticed an unnamed 12-inch vinyl listed for pre-order on Tame Impala’s webstore. It was later revealed to be the physical release of the first single, “End of Summer,” which officially dropped a week later on July 25.
The second single, “Loser,” arrived on September 3 following a metadata leak on streaming platforms that briefly displayed its title. To build anticipation, posters teasing its release appeared in cities like Los Angeles and New York. The song’s accompanying video features Stranger Things actor-musician Joe Keery (aka Djo). Both singles are now confirmed as part of the album—“Loser” as track 4 and “End of Summer” as track 12. The full tracklist is still under wraps, but Parker has confirmed that the album will contain 12 songs.
Alongside the announcement, Parker also unveiled the official artwork, which is deeply personal: the cover features a photograph of him with his daughter, Peach.
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