Currents is the follow up to 2012's Lonerism. Kevin Parker, the musician behind Tame Impala, explained that Currents is about the process of personal transformation. He said, "It follows the progression of someone feeling like they are becoming something else. They're becoming the kind of person they thought they'd never become." The cover art for Currents was created by Kentucky-based artist and musician Robert Beatty. Parker has said Currents' designs are based on a diagram of vortex shedding he remembered while trying to visualize the album's themes.