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10 songs that feel like Past Life

Matched to Past Life by Tame Impala on how the music actually moves — intensity, dynamic swing, texture, tempo — not by genre tag. Here's what makes each one a match.

Past Life
The song you love
Past Life
Tame Impala
moderate 40/100 intensity 117 BPM
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Wishes — Beach House moderate 120 BPM

A 95% feel-match — carries the same dreamy pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (120 BPM).

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The Stars of Track and Field — Belle and Sebastian safe 120 BPM

93% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Same layered texture.

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Vapour Trail — Ride moderate 120 BPM

Keeps the same dreamy pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Measured 93% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (120 BPM).

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Supercut — Lorde moderate 124 BPM

Measures 93% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Same layered texture.

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Judy and the Dream of Horses — Belle and Sebastian safe 125 BPM

A 93% feel-match — carries the same dreamy pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (125 BPM).

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Lust for Life — Lana Del Rey moderate 110 BPM

93% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (37/100). Same layered texture.

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Fourth of July — Galaxie 500 moderate 110 BPM

Keeps the same dreamy pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (37/100). Measured 93% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (110 BPM).

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Star Roving — Slowdive moderate 140 BPM

Measures 92% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (44/100). Same layered texture.

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Out of Control — Lush safe 110 BPM

A 92% feel-match — carries the same dreamy pull and sits a little calmer at 33/100. Nearly the same tempo, too (110 BPM).

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10 Mile Stereo — Beach House safe 90 BPM

91% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (35/100). Same layered texture.

…and if you want it calmer

Same feeling, measured gentler — for when Past Life is more than you want right now.

California by Joni Mitchell
California — Joni Mitchell safe 120 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Intensity 19/100, down from 40. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Brother by Mac DeMarco
Brother — Mac DeMarco safe 110 BPM

Its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6, so it lands at 19/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Finally Alone by Mac DeMarco
Finally Alone — Mac DeMarco safe 110 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Reads 19/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

End of Beginning by Djo
End of Beginning — Djo safe 114 BPM

Holds the same feel while it stays in our safe band start to finish. 29/100, versus the original's 40. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground
Sunday Morning — The Velvet Underground safe 110 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 6. Intensity 15/100, down from 40. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Used to Be by Beach House
Used to Be — Beach House safe 120 BPM

Its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6, so it lands at 19/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Memories of Tomorrow by Keith Jarrett
Memories of Tomorrow — Keith Jarrett safe 116 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Reads 17/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

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Decomposing Trees — Galaxie 500 safe 110 BPM

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. 25/100, versus the original's 40. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Past Life” by Tame Impala?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “Wishes” by Beach House, “The Stars of Track and Field” by Belle and Sebastian, “Vapour Trail” by Ride — the top match scores 95% alike. Matching is by how the songs actually move (intensity, dynamic range, texture, tempo, predictability, vocal force), not by genre tag or popularity.

What songs are like “Past Life” but calmer?

“California” by Joni Mitchell, “Brother” by Mac DeMarco, “Finally Alone” by Mac DeMarco keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Past Life”?

It measures 40/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild sudden shifts, and spoken word. Tempo is 117 BPM.

How do you decide which songs are similar?

Every song in our catalog is measured on 8 dimensions — intensity, dynamic range, tempo, sudden changes, texture, predictability, vocal force and fine sound detail. Similarity is the distance between two songs across those measurements, so matches cross genres and eras. Shared mood tags break ties.

By the numbers: how this song compares

Computed from this song’s place among the 19,209 songs we’ve measured.

Where it sits in 19,000 songs

On our 19k-song scale this lands in the middle band — more energetic than 34% of songs, calmer than the other 66%. Its intensity reading of 40/100 comes from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild shifts, and spoken word. It shares this stretch of the spectrum with thousands of other tracks, so the finer fingerprint below is what really separates it.

What makes it unusual

What stands out most about this song is an unusually steady, even volume: more extreme on that axis than 79% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on full chaos — sudden changes, huge quiet-to-loud swings, and relentless energy — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.

Feels almost identical to

Closest matches by feel across all 19,209 measured songs — not by genre or artist, by how they actually move.

What it’s good for

Sleep4/10
Focus8/10
Workout2/10
Dinner8/10
Party / hype5/10

Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.

2015 in context

The 373 songs we’ve measured from 2015 average a dynamic range of 6.3/10. At 6/10, this track is right in line with its year.

Mixes smoothly with

Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.

The fingerprint

Intensity40
Dynamics56
Tempo43
Surprise25
Density33
Predictability0
Vocal force40
Trigger load13

The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.

Want the single closest match, with every dimension compared?

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