Tyler, the Creator has always been a controversial artist who has shifted boundaries in the hip hop industry. With his role in Odd Future, and his controversial projects ‘Bastard’ and ‘Goblin’, Tyler utilised shock culture in order to shift himself into the spotlight. With Wolf, Tyler refined his style, showing signs of maturity, whereas Cherry Bomb introduced significant experimentation, a concept which, while introducing numerous genre-blending styles to Tyler’s music, failed in its execution. In 2017, Tyler released Flower Boy, a critical and commercial hit which showcased his newfound maturity, while dealing with complex issues such as sexuality. Will IGOR, Tyler’s latest album, continue to build off the success of Flower Boy?

In many regards, IGOR shifts the direction of Tyler’s discography. While Flower Boy was a hip-hop album, with many memorable verses, IGOR embraces the soul & r&b elements to a far more significant extent. This is particularly seen on the blistering opening track ‘IGORS THEME’, with vocals from Lil Uzi Vert, which serves as a thematic opener to the album. Throughout the album these elements are embraced consistently, as also seen in ‘EARFQUAKE’, in which Tyler sings “don’t leave…it’s my fault” over beautiful piano chords. EARFQUAKE also contains a feature from the energetic Playboi Carti, who effectively breaks up the song, adding to the composition as a whole. ‘Running Out of Time’ further illustrates such elements, as does ‘A Boy is a Gun’, featuring significant soul elements.

Thats not to say there isn’t any rapping here. ’New Magic Wand’ effortlessly describes the desperation Tyler experiences in preventing a loved one from leaving. It’s a confronting and desperate track which perfectly embodies Tyler’s emotions. ‘PUPPET’, features a Kanye West verse which, while sounding like it was recorded with a children’s microphone, prevents the tracklist from becoming monotonous. This is an ongoing theme for the album, in which numerous layers of sound bury other artists contributions. If you’re coming here to see artists features you’ll be disappointed. 

All of these songs establish a clear and concise story of romance and heartbreak. Executed in a much more straightforward manner than his prior albums which often featured complex storylines, IGOR simply tells the tale of falling in and out of love and the emotional consequences associated with such a process. ‘I THINK’, a Kanye West influenced synth track embraces falling in love, whilst standout track ‘GONE GONE/ THANK YOU’ perfectly represents the emotional reactions associated with breaking with a partner, describing both the process of letting go and thanking them for the time spent together. Indeed, the two-part song also embraces the nostalgia associated with a failed relationship, blending effortlessly into the next track ‘I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE’.

As a composition, IGOR flows perfectly, illustrating a beautiful, yet tragic storyline of falling in and out of love, an experience which many of the audience members may resonate too. Though the album fails to establish a standout single, that isn’t Tyler’s purpose in the creation of IGOR. Instead, Tyler aims to create a story of love, heartbreak and acceptance. Though departing significantly from the successes of Flower Boy, IGOR further expands Tyler’s styles, creating his best work yet.

9.3/10

Written by Jacob Matthews