Tyler, the Creator
IGOR
Columbia
On his latest album, California auteur Tyler, The Creator reaches a previously untapped well of maturity and emotion in his songwriting. IGOR represents the most refined version of the former OFWGKTA frontman and as a result, this is certainly his most polished work to date.
Whereas much of Tyler Okonma’s early output was defined by a burning sense of rage – against his family, his childhood and the perceived injustices of ‘the system’ – the artist’s last two albums have revealed a more nuanced side to what has always been a polarising personality.
With Tyler’s last full-length solo effort, Flower Boy nominated for a Grammy, the abrasive entrepreneur has slowly been welcomed into the hallowed halls of critical acclaim, albeit somewhat reluctantly. IGOR is certain to represent yet more of a step into the realms of revered artistry rather than the raw, abrasive punk of his Goblin days.
In fact, there’s not an awful lot of classic rapping on IGOR whatsoever, with Tyler opting either for pitched up vocal crooning or an untreated sing-song drawl whose natural depth contrasts beautifully with what is musically a rather uplifting album.
The dominant sounds on IGOR are tinkling keys, candy-cane synths and multihued chords. If Flower Boy saw Tyler coming to terms with the hidden optimist within, then IGOR represents a unification of this with the youthful aggression that made him such an icon way back in 2010.
Tyler, The Creator wrote, produced and arranged this album in its entirety and features are minimal. As if we needed confirmation, IGOR shows Tyler in complete creative control, a continuously blossoming artist in total command of his medium. This is not a young man concerned with traditional form and structure. Rather, the 28 year old Tyler of IGOR has much in common with Picasso or Godard at a similar age, confident auteurs unafraid to use their undoubted genius to redefine what it is to paint, make a film or indeed, record an album.
Stand out tracks from IGOR include NEW MAGIC WAND, RUNNING OUT OF TIME and lead-single EARFQUAKE, which came accompanied by a patently absurd video featuring one of Tyler’s most hilarious characters of all time. What each of these tracks has in common is a fearless honesty in their lyrics that deal, almost invariably, with a recently ended romance.
In fact, IGOR often feels like a classic break-up project. For all of its avant-garde touches and surprising maturity, the album is essentially an ode to a lost relationship, a kind of retrospective memoir from Tyler that serves as both art and therapeutic exercise.
Some of the Odd Future founder’s most heartfelt lyrics can be found on this latest project, with the aforementioned maturity really coming to the fore in Tyler’s words. It is clear that whoever this ex-lover is, the effect they had on Tyler’s life was irreparably profound. Strong enough to transform what was previously one of modern music’s most acerbic characters into an altogether more understanding, emotionally intelligent being.
The fact is, he is all the better for it. The gentle tinkling of keys or the euphoric buzz of a synth accompanies Tyler’s profound inner realisations and epiphanies perfectly, and the harmonisation of both instrument and lyric on IGOR is yet another aspect of the piece that make it such a high quality project.
Yes, IGOR is scattered and, even, quite disorganised. After all, this is a Tyler, the Creator project and it just wouldn’t be the same without the 28 year old’s trademark DIY quality. This, combined with the flawless production and tender, thoughtful lyricism, make IGOR the LA artist’s finest album to date.
After previously hitting dozens of nations on a mammoth trek, Tyler is due to embark on yet another global tour this fall, with London set for three consecutive concerts. The British capital has hosted a wide variety of stellar events in recent times and the US artist’s arrival will bring with it plenty of fanfare after this critically acclaimed release.
So it seems that Mr. Tyler Okonma, that angriest of American teens, has finally come to terms with the rages of his adolescence, the heartbreak of his early-twenties, and his position as a unique artist in an increasingly fickle, hollow industry.
BRAYDEN EDWARDS
https://youtu.be/rbWEABa5-rM
