Tyler The Creator, a producer and artist that not many people knew of until his recent fame with the albums Call Me if You Get Lost, The Estate Sale, and Flower Boy. His uniqueness is how he manages to strike a new and interesting blending in his producing, and lyrical choices. Many people fell in love with his story telling within his songs, others for how his music seems to entrance all those who listen. Fame brought him the audience for him to relay his struggles in what he does best, music. Now, his latest album has been released for a few weeks, and I’m here to give my honest review of all fourteen tracks of Tyler’s most experimental and story based work yet.
To start off quite strong is “St. Chroma” featuring Daniel Caesar, and using audio from Tyler’s mother, encouraging him to continue with music. The chorus enchanting and quite whimsical despite the marching, yet as it trades off to the deep synths, it just prepares you for the obvious fact this is going to be a strange album. Maybe too weird. Regardless, this is a pleasant first track giving a strong first impression to this album. Our second track is “Rah Tah Tah“, and it throws everything out the window. A strong production with no room for gentleness, and lyrics that make radios struggle with a viable censor. This song is odd, but with a strong flow and impressive presence to the ears. If your of age, it’s definitely something you should listen to for a quick angry tangent.
A stalking third track “Noid” makes you question what weird could truly be, and whats weirder than an unknown viewer from the shadows? Tyler’s distresses of being a public figure, the fans who watch his every action with awe and expectations all poured into this one song. It’s a solid song, filled with the paranoia of being a public figure to the world. “Darling, I” is a contagiously peppy song, a chorus that makes you float and lyrics that make you a little more open to that crush you may have. Quick warning, I am not responsible for any musical careers that may spawn from listening to this track. “Hey Jane” is a mellow fifth track featuring the consequences of having a child, a brewing chemistry, and a strange perspective change make this song a calm relax in your car, with a deeper story right there for you to read along with Tyler.
“I Killed You” is odd. I cannot sugarcoat on this track. Being the sixth track, and coming right after such a calming track, it threw me for a loop. Corruption being wound within the lyrics, I couldn’t help but be a little uncomfortable. Yet it’s instrumental isn’t all that bad, the drums a calming backdrop on a slightly unnerving track. Track seven “Judge Judy“, I don’t have many comments for this song. If I did, I might get censored for the use of this song’s lyrics along with one audio clip sprinkled throughout the song. It is a song about acceptance, and I’ll give it a pass for having a nice instrumental, even if the audio clips could be an oddity.
“Sticky” is the eighth track and has the most features on the album. To say this song is unfavorable is quite accurate, I don’t like this song, I don’t relate to it, and I find the features to be annoying. I dislike the lyrics, I don’t like the instrumental, and I can summarize it in one word, bad. “Take Your mask Off” is a refresher as the ninth track, the familiar Tyler finesse and instrumental to pair, with lyrics of the story of a closeted gay. It’s the right weird, the perfect weird, the Tyler weird. Even if you cannot relate to the lyrics, the track still has a wonderful instrumental with a thoughtful lesson of being yourself at all times. Keep yourself 100% all the time. “Tomorrow” is the tenth track of Chromakopia. The past is the past, the future is be feared. Your afraid of tomorrow? Your just afraid of change. In all honesty, this song resonates with me the most. The complications that time brings, the worries of the day after today, and whether or not you’ll be able to see it. Yet you can’t wait, since time is never there for you. A lovely instrumental, slow chorus, and lyrics is enough to rough up someone back to the present.
“Thought I Was Dead” is our expected come up song, I have no real comments besides the need to mention the Santigold, and ScHoolboy Q features. They’re alright, this song is alright, I won’t be fawning over it anytime soon. “Like Him“. The pinnacle, the peak, the track that makes Chromakopia the unrecognized literature along with all of Tyler’s albums featuring this musical style finally put in the spotlight. Soft longing lyrics, an instrumental ripped straight of a musical, and one permeating question on the one ghost you just can’t chase. While being our twelfth track.
“Balloon” no. This one song just makes me cry, the mistake of placing this track in between the pinnacles of the album just drags down the flow of the whole package. It’s wrong, and I understand the need for a song being about what you like, but in the middle of an emotional climax? No. Bad song with terrible placement. “I Hope You Find Your Way Home“. A strange send off to a roller-coaster of storytelling, self pleasure, existentialism, a missing father, and a queer identity crisis all wrapped up with the word’s of a loving mother. Keep doing what you do Tyler, keep shining. One little favor, never remake “Balloons“. This is your send off from your average music listener, this is Chromakopia.
My overall recommendation of this bumpy ride is okay, it’s a step towards more experimental work from Tyler and I’m all for it. The only thing that holds this album down is the sheer oddity of a good chunk of the tracks. “Balloons” and “Sticky” drag down this album way more than they are worthy of existing. Yet the good stuff is still a great fun ride, and maybe lyrical genius from time to time. Would I recommend it to anyone? I will, with a warning for weirdness. Preferably with a bright colored sticker.
