Kevin Parker’s psych-pop group Tame Impala hits full nightclub mode on “Dracula”, the best single from his “Deadbeat” album.
This one was different from anything he’d released previously. Parker’s repertoire has a reputation for foggy, layered psych-rock, but Dracula wipes all that away. It was his first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, and that move to disco simplicity certainly resonated with a wider audience than his regular fan base.
Production is still lean and groove-forward, with a strong four-on-the-floor kick from the first bar. Synths are kept sparse, allowing the rhythm do much of the heavy lifting rather than layering in texture. That’s a far cry from the more dense songs like “Eventually”, but it works because the hook performs the heavy lifting. The harmonized vocals break up the repetition just enough to slip between the choruses.
Parker’s vocal delivery is consistently smooth and detached, suiting the late-night, escapist vibe of the song. He speaks about chasing darkness and shunning sunlight, pushing into the vampire images the title suggests. This isn’t deep songwriting, and he doesn’t pretend it is. The whole affair is more vibe than content.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing either. Dracula knows just what it wants to be, not serious analysis, but a catchy, danceable earworm for multiple plays. Its subsequent remix with Jennie just took that reach further throughout the world.
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