Tyler the Creator recently dropped his new album Chromakopia, which is his seventh studio album. The album covers his battle with maturity and the hurdles that he has of adulthood that need to be overcome. This album is great and feels completely different from his other albums, which helps usher in a new era for the artist.
The album begins with “St. Chroma,” featuring Daniel Caesar, and artist most known for his popular album Freudia. This song is a very good intro because it is very re-listenable and introduces the motif of Tyler’s mom talking to him throughout the album and the songs being his response. Daniel Caesar’s part at the end singing about “feeling the fire” sounds beautiful, and easily leads into “Rah Tah Tah,” which is one of the best songs on the album due to its great use of Tyler’s chaotic rapping style. The song’s production value is also top-notch because it complements the kinetic vibe of the lyrics well. The ending of this song also transitions effortlessly into the next song ”Noid.”
“Noid” is short for paranoid, and the song starts strong with a sample for the chorus that pushes the theme of the paranoia intensely. However, “Noid” loses traction toward the end because the song goes on too long. While “Noid” isn’t the best song on the album, it has a striking music video of Tyler walking through crowds, performing onstage, and interacting with loved ones in a Tyler, the Creator mask, emphasizing the mask he wears because of his paranoia. The video has made it to YouTube’s top ten after only two weeks.
The middle of the album is both more personal and more joyful than “Noid.” “Darling I” is a beautiful song with great vibes, and Teezo Touchdown really brings the song together in an amazing way. Also, the vocals and the production of the song combine to work as a great refresher for the album. “Hey Jane” is also solid—the switching of perspectives to tell the story makes it stand out on the album. “Sticky” (featuring GloRilla, Sexy Red, and Lil Wayne) sounds great, and the production makes it sound like the song is being sung at a pep rally with students stomping on the bleachers. ”Thought I Was Dead” featuring Santigold and Schoolboy Q is a high-energy song that ends the middle section of songs and helps break away the tension from some of the more emotional tracks.
Unfortunately, the middle of the album also has the weakest songs of the album. “I Killed You” sounds really good at the beginning but loses steam in the middle and starts to drag. Also, it’s disappointing that the Childish Gambino collab promised with this song only results in some background vocals and the outro. ”Judge Judy” has a unique sound that helps differentiate it from other songs on the album, but instead of being elevated like “Hey Jane,” it just sticks out as not fitting in. “Take Your Mask Off,” featuring Daniel Caesar and Latoiya Williams, is not very memorable compared to others. “Tomorrow” is a beautiful-sounding song with brilliant instrumentals, but it’s not very catchy or memorable.
The album wraps up with a reflective look at the past. “Like Him,” featuring Lola Young, is a soul-crushing song about Tyler’s father that will probably be the most memorable song on the album, thanks largely to the ending of the song. ”Balloon” featuring Doechii gives time for the listener to process the events of the last one through easy distraction, and the fantastic beat of the song helps make it the weirdest sounding song in the album. “I Hope You Find Your Way Home” is an amazing ending for the album and resolves the lingering tension around Tyler’s past, but is not that great of a song outside of the album.
Ultimately, fans of Tyler The Creator’s other albums will likely like this one as well even if it matches and doesn’t exceed past efforts. While this album won’t change the minds of anyone who did not like his songs before, Chromakopia is a very great jumping off point for anyone wanting to explore his music for the first time. This album successfully tells a meaningful story that will resonate with listeners while also still being an enjoyable listening experience.
