Nangs

Song Background

“Nangs” is the second track from Tame Impala’s 2015 album Currents. The song is a short, psychedelic interlude featuring hypnotic synth loops, deep bass, and reverb-heavy vocals, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.

The title “Nangs” is Australian slang for nitrous oxide (laughing gas), often used recreationally for brief euphoria. The song’s swirling, disorienting soundscape mimics the fleeting, woozy sensation associated with inhaling nitrous.

While Nangs lacks a traditional lyrical structure, its ethereal repetition of “but is there something more than that?” suggests themes of existential questioning and escapism. The track seamlessly blends into the album’s overarching narrative of personal transformation, heartbreak, and self-discovery.

Interpretation

“Nangs” is a trippy, atmospheric interlude on Tame Impala’s Currents, capturing themes of escapism, fleeting euphoria, and existential questioning. The song’s title refers to nitrous oxide (laughing gas), commonly used for short bursts of intoxication, which aligns with the track’s dizzying, looping synths and dreamlike ambiance.

Musically, Nangs mimics the disorienting, fleeting sensation of a nitrous high—with its warping synths and pulsating bass, the track feels like a moment suspended in time. Rather than serving as a traditional song, Nangs functions as a sonic experience, immersing listeners in a hypnotic, introspective state before the album’s emotional journey continues.