Tame Impala hasn’t released a full-length since 2015. But, in the time since his most recent album, ‘Currents’ (2015), Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker has been channeling his R&B-inspired pop elsewhere, most recently cozying up to hip-hop. His new endeavor, unofficially dubbed Theo Impala, saw him teaming up with hip-hop artist Theophilus London for last year’s smooth, R&B-influenced single “Only You”. Today, the R&B-esque duo is back with a full studio version of “Whiplash”.

If the song is starting to sound a little familiar, that’s because it’s not exactly new. A live version of the song previously made the rounds back in 2016, when footage of a live version performed at Theo Impala’s first concert found its way to Youtube. Two years later, the full studio version, in all its finished glory, has finally hit streaming services. “I like that the first time people hear it is the kind of the recorded glory,” Parker says of the release. “Like the premeditated thing that I’ve spent two years on, rather than being half drunk bashing it out on stage, hitting clanger notes.” Check out live footage of the track, and listen to the studio version below.

As of this week, Tame Impala has also announced a new batch of North American headlining dates. If we’re lucky, this likely means we will be seeing some degree of new music in the near future, as TI’s Parker has teased ”new sounds” in a recent interview with Australia’s The Sunday Times, as well as in an Instagram post annoucing his headlining set at this year’s Coachella. The shows kick off May 2nd in Nashville, and trickle down the coast all the way to Miami, the across the border for an appearance at Guadalajara’s Corona Capital Festival. Tickets for Tame Impala’s shows are currently on sale here.

Tame Impala TOUR DATES
April 13 – Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival – Indio, CA
April 20 – Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival – Indio, CA
May 02 – Ascend Amphitheatre – Nashville, TN
May 03 – ExploreAsheville.com Arena – Asheville, NC
May 05 – Shaky Knees Music Festival – Atlanta, GA
May 06 – St. Augustine Amphitheater – St. Augustine, FL
May 07 – Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater – Miami Beach FL
May 11 – Corona Capital Festival – Guadalajara, MEXICO
May 25 – Boston Calling Festival – Boston, MA
May 31 – Primavera Festival – Barcelona, SPAIN