Tyler, the Creator released his eighth studio album “CHROMAKOPIA,” on Monday, Oct. 28 and has established himself against creators with a versatile sound and style.
This album was a surprise to This release follows “The Estate Sale,” which featured previously unreleased tracks cut from his previous album. “CHROMAKOPIA,” represents a new chapter in his discography, showcasing his evolving sound and lyrical themes.
This project revolves around the theme of ambition and youth fading away from Tyler as he deals with the hurdles of maturity which is represented by the grayscale palette used in the album cover. Unlike the dark cover art, this project is full of vibrant and colorful hip-hop and R&B.
This album starts off strong with “St. Chroma.” Listeners are introduced to St. Chroma, the masked character who is depicted in the cover art. It feels very similar and familiar to the sound that was showcased in his fifth studio project “IGOR.”
Although, Tyler does a great job establishing something that feels fresh and new which sets the tone for the persona of St. Chroma. This album does a great job of taking all of the styles and themes from Tyler’s previous projects and blending them into a symphony.
The transition from the first track to “Rah Tah Tah,” is an example of the wild side of this new persona. This track features Tyler’s fast and aggressive rapping which is something I am a big fan of. It is full of exaggerated swagger and flexing which has become a common theme in recent Tyler tracks.
“Noid,” continues this deep dive into this new sound with a loud electric guitar that is accompanied by drums and joins the layered vocals on the track nicely. This tracksuggests that this representation of Tyler is a more vulnerable side as he talks about the reality of constantly being consumed by paranoia.
There are many highs scattered throughout this record and “Darling, I,” is definitely one to be included on that list. Featuring vocals from Teezo Touchdown, this record does a great job blending their singing which is a great introduction to Tyler’s aggressive and menacing flow.
Out of all of the tracks on the album, this song does the best of blending all of Tyler’s styles into one phenomenal track.
“Hey Jane,” does a great job reinforcing the vivid imagery that commonly recurs throughout the lyrics on this record. Each verse refers to the perspective of a couple that is shocked by an unexpected pregnancy and how they respond to it. He is worried about the responsibilities of parenting and the life-changing reality that is raising a child and she is facing the inner dilemma of possibly having to face this challenge on her own.
“Judge Judy,” is another strong track that brings the calm energy from “Flower Boy” in full force, especially with background vocals from Childish Gambino. The light guitar chords accompanied by Tyler’s vocals along with the imagery and memorable chorus make this track one I will continue to revisit.
We see the wild side of St. Chroma once again with “Sticky,” which features GloRilla, Lil Wayne and Sexxy Red. The whistle accompanied by the clap beat gives it an unmatched energy that isn’t seen anywhere else on the album.
There are some lows throughout this album that bring the vibes down but they do so in a way to prepare you for what is to come later. “Tomorrow,” is a slower track that features heavy use of the guitar which feels like a way to divide the album. The calm singing and soft rapping combined with the chords create a perfect track to break up all the excitement so it isn’t hitting the listener all at once.
“Thought I Was Dead,” brings the action back with a bass-heavy beat backed with horns and trumpets alike. The quick bars from ScHoolboy Q and Tyler accompanied by the chanting crowd in the background give it a lot of hype and make it a standout record.
This record closes out with “I Hope You Find Your Way Home,” where he continues the story from “Hey, Jane,” where he furthermore explains why he wasn’t ready to have a child. It is backed with a beautiful mixture of piano and synth sounds where Tyler brings out that aggressive flow and themes one final time in full force.
This album is definitely one that fans of hip-hop and R&B fans will be able to digest. Long-time Tyler, the Creator fans are going to enjoy this project through and through for the vulnerability that he brings and for revisiting older styles that he seems to experiment with.
Even if you aren’t an avid Tyler, the Creator fan, this album is definitely worth the listen for the different themes and stages of love that everyone can relate to. The musical components and producion that back all of these tracks also make them worth the listen as they add a beautiful touch.