Tame Impala – The Slow Rush

It’s not bad but it’s not as good as I hoped. Have two different copies of disc one and both are relatively noisy surface wise compared to the average record on my set up. It’s noticeable during songs, not just between tracks, even after a cleaning. A few pops here and there too. Not loud enough to ruin the listening experience at least.

The Patience 7” makes all of this tolerable though. Glad to have this in my collection for that one alone.

Excellent pressing; at times almost holographic 3d soundstage. The bottom end of the dynamic range really plunges on some tracks and never loses detail.

Pro-Ject X1B + Sumiko Wellfleet / Schiit Mani 2 / Musical Fidelity M5si / Dali Oberon 7's

This is such a good pressing. I think it’s the best pressed Tame Impala vinyl. No background noise at all, everything comes through so crisp. I have the variant made in .

I own all 4 Tame Impala LP’s and this one is by far the best sounding one. Great pressing.

Great album, sounds great but the paper sleeves are annoying. Overall great music

In agreement with the other comments here, this is an amazing pressing. my copy is dead silent and centered and the mastering itself is super dynamic and spacious, def the best I’ve heard this album. Highly recommended, especially with headphones.

Incredible box set - the quality of the box itself is really impressive (especially compared with the Currents/Lonerism releases), and the record itself sounds fantastic. I originally owned a copy of the LP (forest green pressing, preorder) and this pressing seems to be much more dynamic.

Includes a decent-length booklet, 2050 calendar, 12" remix LP, 7" TSR B-Sides 45RPM record (The Boat I Row/No Choice), and a 12" of Patience and One More Year (NTS). Also includes a copy of The Slow Rush in translucent red within the box.

If you're in the US and are interested in this box set, you can order it on Amazon for $64.99 with Prime as of today (October 29th, 2023), which is much better than the original price of $100 (although I'd argue for Tame Impala fans, this box set is worth it regardless of price).

As beautiful the presentation of this project may be; pressing and sleeves, unfortunately the wax is pretty noisy. For as meticulously produced this album was I do not find this pressing to be very representative of the quality sound the project was going for imo.

Five years is the time between 'The Slow Rush' and stunning 2015 ‘Currents' album; which after two albums before the aforementioned led to making Kevin Parker a lyrical, sound and production powerhouse. His work influenced a multitude of artists and his production skills were heavily lauded and coveted. On album four Parker still retains his Bee Gee-esque vocals as the addition to his plethora of hip-hop, electronic, psychedelic, funk, dance and soulful melodies. This is his most popish album to date, at a running length of 57 minutes that spends more time wandering in and around through a labyrinth of synths and diffused soft-rock. It feels like one hour-long song or soundtrack that never really stops. Parker also has a unique way of making you lose yourself in a song so delicately and deeply that he then throws in a myriad of unique changes into those tracks as an anchor, makes you where you are, leading back on course after a short detour.

The name of the album is apt - a slow rush; just enjoy what happens, go with the flow and any other description that you find pertinent. There’s a meticulous nature of the obsessive with Parker and it shows here more than any other album - Parker works with a range of musicians but this is entirely his baby. His credits are printed firmly with the line “All music written, performed, and mixed by Kevin Parker.” He divides the album into almost environmental tones, with elements that sound very cityscape, some underground, and some sounding like beach summery fun. This is one of the most complex albums made, finely crafted cogs in a massive arrangement to form the entire cohesive sound. This body of work also allows Parker to stretch himself more, whether being held back creatively or the ambivalence of another album, he used that hesitation and twisted it and exposed it like a nerve. Choosing to exercising vexations; using his unease as he stated in an NME interview: “Even with this album, I was doing things that made me uncomfortable just for the purpose of being creative because I’m the most creative when I’m uncomfortable.”

The amount of focus is intrinsic to this album more than at any time before, too much and you get lost in it all, if that is your goal, too little and you wish for something more. It feels like a warm fireplace that radiates heat and light but also snaps and crackles and makes unusual noises that arrest your eyes and ears. In so far as being music for moods it’s right up there as one of the best, this is Pop and Psychedelic genre twisting sorcery to its finest.

Best box set I own, hands down; silent on all sides, and the inclusions, like the calender, are great fun.