Perhaps the easiest way to sum up the latest record from Australian pop band Tame Impala's latest album, "Currents," is with one of its song titles: "Yes, I'm Changing." Since the band's full-length debut with 2010's "Innerspeaker," multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Kevin Parker has enjoyed a nearly-instant transition into pop spotlight, with equal parts critical praise and chart-topping sales. The project has been hailed as an expansive look into Parker's mind, tastefully mixing influences ranging from the sugary sweetness of the Beatles to the prog-tinged journeys of Todd Rundgren. Where "Innerspeaker" was a solid debut, 2012's "Lonerism" perfected Parker's psychedelic pop songwriting formula, successfully trimming the expansive jams featured on his longer compositions down to lean pop gems. The lyrical designs of exploration and isolation, whether in the world or within the self, were conveyed through its artwork consisting simply of a fenced-off garden in Luxembourg, or the suggestive track titles such as "Why Won't They Talk to Me?"

Fast-forward to Tame Impala's latest, and Parker is found pushing himself as a songwriter and a producer. Parker is still writing on the same topics lyrically, but "Currents" favors a more direct approach. Instead of hiding his voice behind swirls of delayed guitars and thick bass grooves, Parker's emotions are the core of the album, presented to the listener on top of a platter of icy synthesizers and programmed drums. Vocals play a more narrative role than an aural one here. Parker firmly declares "I will not vanish, and you will not scare me" as he details the process of a separation, a recursive lyrical topic on "Currents." Appearing later in the track listing, "Cause I'm a Man" acknowledges the aftermath of this separation, and finds Parker trying to stand on his own.

While longtime fans of the band may be expecting the hallmark four-to-the-floor rock flavor of older singles like "Elephant" or "Lucidity," guitars have a minimal presence on this album. However, despite Tame Impala's stylistic decision to compose a selection of mostly electronic songs, the production on "Currents" is truly where it shines. The fuzzy synths on "Eventually" mesh with harmonized vocals seamlessly and give way to sharp programmed percussion that cuts through the mix but never overpowers any of the other instruments. Tame Impala's room-filling signature bass tone takes on a funk groove on "The Less I Know the Better," and with the addition of Fender Rhodes, provide excellent support for Parker's Lennon-esque coo. The almost hip hop kick drums on "Reality in Motion" create a foundation for retro synths that would not sound out of place on an early Sparks album. The detailed and distinct production on "Currents" effectively creates an atmosphere that sounds just as dated as it does modern. While the delays and reverbs applied to Kevin Parker's singing feels like 60s psych and its synths feel indebted to both Italian disco and early U.K. synth pop, all of the instruments are mixed with astonishing clarity for a record solely produced by Parker.

"Currents" is ultimately the next step forward for Kevin Parker and Tame Impala. Where "Lonerism" perfected the psychedelic pop formula started on "Innerspeaker," this new album showcases Parker as a versatile musician unafraid of taking risks. However, there are still definite signs of this record being a Tame Impala record. Kevin Parker's gentle singing still blurs the lines between head voice and falsetto. As a vocalist, he has always closely resembled John Lennon both in phrasing and in timbre, but also the softer moments of Jim James from My Morning Jacket or Kevin Barnes from Of Montreal. Also noteworthy is the return of the warm electric bass thump that made singles like "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" so enjoyable. Hearing a psychedelic pop group departing from their sound and channeling disco, synth pop, and hip hop on a new record with such consistent results is practically unheard of. Where Tame Impala may go in the future is uncertain, but if "Currents" is any indication, it is a journey worth paying close attention to.