Igor - Tyler, the Creator

Igor - Tyler, the Creator
2019, A Boy Is a Gun / Columbia Records

This is Tyler's left turn. He took the instrumental style of his previous full-length album Flower Boy and took it further, releasing something far from a rap album. Instead, what Mr. Creator has produced is one of the best break up albums I've ever listened to.

From a sonic aspect, this album is amazing; the way Tyler warps his voice against the music works incredibly well. The sinister sounds of "NEW MAGIC WAND" and "WHAT'S GOOD" are addictive; the hooks on this album are crazy catchy. But what really takes the cake for me is the pacing. Every song arrives just in time and never overstays its welcome. The order of the songs tells a convincing lost-love story: from the admittance of one sided love in "EARFQUAKE" and "RUNNING OUT OF TIME" to the manipulation on "PUPPET," from the I-don't-need-you-anymore vibe on "WHAT'S GOOD" to the song "I DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE" and its resolution, "ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?", Tyler spins a story of moving on from a failed relationship, a story that feels natural, relatable, and human.

It's the honesty in the lyrics and the flow of the album that keep bringing me back to this album, making it one of my favorite records from this year. Tyler took a bold step in departing from his pre-established style and it payed off.

9/10

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