"Apocalypse Dreams" is a song by Australian

psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...

band

Tame Impala Tame Impala is the psychedelic music project of Australian singer and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker (musician), Kevin Parker. In the recording studio, Parker writes, records, performs, and produces all of the project's music. As a touring a ...

. It was first released on July 8, 2012 as a

promo single A promotional recording, promo, or plug copy is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as mu ...

and first track released in promotion of the band's second studio album ''

Lonerism ''Lonerism'' is the second studio album by Australian musical project Tame Impala, released on 5 October 2012 by Modular Recordings. Like the band's debut studio album, '' Innerspeaker'' (2010), ''Lonerism'' was written, recorded, performed, an ...

'' as the third track. It is the first track by the band to have a songwriting credit besides frontman Kevin Parker, being co-written by touring drummer

Jay Watson Jay Wesley Watson is an Australian multi-instrumentalist, producer, singer and songwriter. He is best known as a touring member of the psychedelic band Tame Impala and as a co-founder of the psychedelic rock/pop band Pond, with whom he's record ...

Background and release

According to Studio Rumblings, Kevin Parker recorded the track after watching the 2011 film

Melancholia Melancholia or melancholy (from ',Burton, Bk. I, p. 147 meaning black bile) is a concept found throughout ancient, medieval, and premodern medicine in Europe that describes a condition characterized by markedly depressed mood, bodily complain ...

. In a statement about the track, Parker stated that "I think the first guitar comes three minutes in. Co-writing was... whoa... a huge thing for me, so that's a Parker/Watson number, and the rest is the usual story: me locked away." The track was first premiered by Triple J Radio on 8 July 2012, immediately following the premier the track was made available to download for free on the bands website.

Reception

Writing for ''Pitchfork'' upon the tracks original release, Larry Fitzmaurice praised the track, stating that it is proof the band hadn't lost their talent yet. They described the track as an "expansive psych epic" that finds "Parker building up and breaking down a pule day-glo melodies before just letting the whole thing run free during the song's closing minutes." Overall, describing the track as a "trip worth taking". Noisey Staff of

Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...

stated that the track "is an anthemic, piano-bashing soundtrack to skipping across a rolling countryside". In a ranking of the top 40 Tame Impala tracks by Christie Eleizer of Tone Deaf, "Apocalypse Dreams" ranked number 17. They called the track a "cracker song", moreover, calling it "the type you’d turn up in the car or train, and be impressed by the depth in the deft instrumental and production touches".

KCRW KCRW (89.9 FM broadcasting, FM) is an NPR member station broadcasting from the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, where the station is licensed. KCRW airs original news and music programming in addition to programming ...

's review of the track states that "starts off like a classic

Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...

chugger and then turns into a stunningly woozy and inspired existential trip that recalls

The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band currently consists of Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards), Steven Drozd (guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, vocals), Derek Brown ...

at their ''

The Soft Bulletin ''The Soft Bulletin'' is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Flaming Lips, released by Warner Bros. Records on May 17, 1999, in the United Kingdom, and on June 22, 1999, in the United States. The album was released to widespread acc ...

'' finest." Overall, stating that it's "fantastic and hopefully a solid indicator of the fact that Tame Impala's new record is going to be anexcellent follow-up to their indelible debut. If only all dreams could be this apocalyptic." Steven Moore of ''

The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...

'' described the track finding Parker in an existential crisis, "wondering how a changing world could impact an unwelcomed loner", Jim Carroll of ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It was launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is Ireland's leading n ...

'' believed that Parker sounded "a hell of a lot like

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...

", along with "Why Won't They Talk to Me". In another ''Pitchfork'' review, Ian Cohen stated that Parker and co-producer

Dave Fridmann David Lawrence Fridmann is an American record producer and musician. Career From 1990 onwards he co-produced most releases by Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips. Other bands he has worked with include Weezer, Saxon Shore (band), Saxon Shore, Neon ...

"take control of the

mixing console A mixing console or mixing desk is an electronic device for Audio mixing (recorded music), mixing audio signals, used in sound recording and reproduction and sound reinforcement systems. Inputs to the console include microphones, signals fro ...

s and shake the whole thing up like a snowglobe", furthermore, stating that the track build on the momentum of a "bouncy northern

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

groove up to a peak before the mix abruptly cuts off and spits them back into a panoramic, HD jam". Brendan Frank of

Beats Per Minute Beat, beats, or beating may refer to: Common uses * Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact * Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact * Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of in ...

believed that the track picked up right where Tame Impala's previous album ''InnerSpeaker'' left off. Furthermore, stating that the track delivers "more echo-clasped guitar lines and pensive

psychedelia Psychedelia usually refers to a Aesthetics, style or aesthetic that is resembled in the psychedelic subculture of the 1960s and the psychedelic experience produced by certain psychoactive substances. This includes psychedelic art, psychedelic ...

". They described the track as being deeper, darker, and having breakdowns that "never distract from singer and group architect Kevin Parker’s greatest gift: melody", having "nightmarish synths" curling around "the sun-baked scuzz", adding "new hiccups and alterations to their old school sound." Barry Walters of ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...

'' stated that "true to his outsider identity, Parker is clearly already rebelling against the expectations that come with winning Album of the Year honors in Australia’s ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

''" by sticking "bubblegum" piano riffs into the track while "hitting notes higher than those even Spears and Minogue can achieve." Writing for ''

HuffPost ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...

'', Andres Jauregui stated that "if Tame Impala were from

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, then one might unflinchingly say that their new song, "Apocalypse Dreams," which the band shared today, sounds like if

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

were from

Bushwick Bushwick is a neighborhood in the northern part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bounded by the neighborhood of Ridgewood, Queens, to the northeast; Williamsburg to the northwest; the cemeteries of Highland Park to the southe ...

, circa summer 2009." Additionally, stating that if you can "vibe on its airy waves of crashing fuzz-phase-reverb, rollicking drums and

fab faux The Fab Faux is a musical tribute band performing the works of the Beatles (whose members were often known as the "Fab Four"). The group was founded by Will Lee, bassist for ''Late Show with David Letterman'', and features Jimmy Vivino, bandlea ...

vocals, you might have gotten kaleidoscope-eyed at many a Market Hotel show."

Personnel

Tame Impala * Kevin Parker – production, recording; all vocals and instruments; cover photo Additional musicians *

– writer, piano, keyboard Production *

– mixing *

Greg Calbi Gregory Calbi (born April 3, 1949) is an American mastering engineer at Sterling Sound, New Jersey. Biography Greg Calbi was born on April 3, 1949, in Yonkers, New York, and raised in Bayside, Queens, New York. He graduated in 1966 from Bishop ...

– mastering *

Leif Podhajsky Leif Podhajsky is an Australian graphic designer and art director, well known for his distinctive album art working with artists such as Tame Impala, Bonobo, Foals, Kylie Minogue, Of Monsters and Men, Lykke Li, Toy, The Horrors, Mount Kimbie, ...

– artwork and layout * Matthew C. Saville – studio photography

References

{{Tame Impala Tame Impala songs 2012 songs Modular Recordings singles Song recordings produced by Kevin Parker (musician) 2012 singles Songs written by Kevin Parker (musician)