Tyler, the Creator finally dropped his long-anticipated album, IGOR, and I couldn’t be more excited. Besides knowing random songs by him, this is the first project of his I’ve listened to straight through, and I must say, it was a pleasant surprise.
Tyler began teasing and eventually announced IGOR earlier this month. From them until now, he has had a pretty smooth rollout, teasing snippets of what looked like visuals for a few of the songs. He also released a new GOLF le FLEUR collection, announced season two of his Adult Swim show, The Jellies, AND announced his 8thannual Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival. Phew, I’m out of breath.
About an hour before its release, Tyler tweeted a disclaimer/instruction paragraph telling fans “Don’t go into this expecting any album. Just go, jump into it.” Honestly, I believe every album should be consumed in this way.
— Tyler, The Creator (@tylerthecreator) May 17, 2019
Interestingly enough, I am more of a fan of Tyler as a person than I am of his actual music. Despite being considered “problematic” by some, Tyler’s influence goes beyond his artistry in a way that resonates with black youth on a more personal level. He is constantly contesting stereotypical ideas of blackness through his endeavors and I honestly love him for it.
you know all my life id here " black people dont do that" from black people and i was always like you stupid niggas putting limits on yourself. YOU dont do that, ima go snowboarding you stay here in hawthorne homie later
— Tyler, The Creator (@tylerthecreator) January 21, 2019
Sonically, IGOR is beautiful. Tyler plays with vocal and instrumental distortion a lot on here, making for a futuristic yet tragic-sounding project. I say tragic because while most of the songs sound upbeat, lyrically some of them tell stories of heartbreak.
My favorites include “EARFQUAKE,” “PUPPET,” and “GONE, GONE / THANK YOU.” There are also a few guests on this album, but I won’t spoil too much. You can listen to the album below, but be mindful of Tyler’s instructions. Also, peep the visual for “EARFQUAKE.”