Tame Impala – Currents

WEIRD!!!

So i forgot i had the 2021 pressing (and indeed i have the non MPO variant 2 runouts) and stupidly bought the latest 2024 pressing complete with its "Made in France" sticker and MPO runouts and i can honestly say the masterings are not the same despite the Sterling imprints.

I first played the 2024 cut and enjoyed it... flat discs, almost zero surface noise and good sound. But i felt it was missing something. At which point Discogs reminded me i have the 2021 variant 2 and so ive rummaged and found it, cleaned it and listened to it. Despite being a little dished the 2021 variant 2 has better bass and more extended yet a silkier and more liquid treble, almost like the eq curve is a little V-shaped vs the 2024 repress. The bass is more solid and the mids richer too. It overall just sounds less grey! I find it amazing that they sound as different as they do given the number of represses of this record (mostly done by MPO and using the Sterling matrix).

Therefore while the 2024 repress is decent... do yourself a favour and seek out the 2021 variant 2 for the better sounding cut!

Pressing wise the 2024 is flatter where an insignificant dish affects my 2021 but thats about it.
Packaging wise they differ again.... they are built the same but the 2024 has a more contrasty look and the cover art looks more dimensional. At least thats one thing in its favour!

Fascinating and odd.... im glad i made the observations to keep the better sounding cut!

WEIRD!!!

So i forgot i had the 2021 pressing (and indeed i have the non MPO variant 2 runouts) and stupidly bought the latest 2024 pressing complete with its "Made in France" sticker and MPO runouts and i can honestly say the masterings are not the same despite the Sterling imprints.

I first played the 2024 cut and enjoyed it... flat discs, almost zero surface noise and good sound. But i felt it was missing something. At which point Discogs reminded me i have the 2021 variant 2 and so ive rummaged and found it, cleaned it and listened to it. Despite being a little dished the 2021 variant 2 has better bass and more extended yet a silkier and more liquid treble, almost like the eq curve is a little V-shaped vs the 2024 repress. The bass is more solid and the mids richer too. It overall just sounds less grey! I find it amazing that they sound as different as they do given the number of represses of this record (mostly done by MPO and using the Sterling matrix).

Therefore while the 2024 repress is decent... do yourself a favour and seek out the 2021 variant 2 for the better sounding cut!

Pressing wise the 2024 is flatter where an insignificant dish affects my 2021 but thats about it.
Packaging wise they differ again.... they are built the same but the 2024 has a more contrasty look and the cover art looks more dimensional. At least thats one thing in its favour!

Fascinating and odd.... im glad i made the observations to keep the better sounding cut!

Came with quite a lot of hairs on Side A/B, and two massive scratches through Side D on Reality in Motion which is one of my favourite tracks from the album :(, but otherwise - a really good pressing, every sound comes through so clearly. Shame there seems to be some quality control issues with it.

Any comments on the audio quality of this press? TIA

yeah, no purple sleeve on A/B disc. white paper instead.

I believe have this pressing based upon the same etchings and mostly the same stamps, but stamps read:

Side A: (1209562) 01010402
Side B: (1209563) 01010236
Side C: (1209565) 01010317
Side D: (1209566) 01010502

I got my copy sealed and brand new, it was missing the purple insert and had just a plain white paper insert instead, and the label for side A just straight up fell off but luckily there was the exact same label underneath it.
Is this common??

Mine is missing the A/B record inner sleeve. I’m very sad cause I’ve been waiting to pull the trigger to get this album. Did they just not put one in mine or is there a different version that’s missing the first inner sleeve?

For the first 3 Tame Impala LP’s my buddy told me not to bother with the US pressing and get this European one instead. So I did through Rarewaves and boy was he right. Great sounding pressing. Just get this and be happy with it.

Maybe I got a poor copy, but mine has a lot of surface noise. I have a more-than-decent setup, and out of all the records I have played on it, this one is the most noisy. Still an amazing album, but I have not been playing this as much as the digital version.