"Chromakopia" - Tyler, The Creator Album Review

Tyler, The Creator is a songwriter, producer, designer and director, but above all, he is an innovator and a visionary.

Tyler’s highly anticipated 8th album “Chromakopia” was released on Monday, Oct. 18. The 14-track collection features a wide variety of boundary-pushing music straight from the mind of Tyler.

Tyler, The Creator is an artist who is almost hard to define with a particular genre. He is constantly changing his sound and experimenting with the art form of music. This album demonstrates his consistent drive to take risks and defy norms.

The opening track “St. Chroma” perfectly sets the stage for the overall feel of the album. The song alone provides a diverse range of sounds that remain consistent throughout the rest of the album and gives an idea of what to expect.

“Chromakopia” is easily Tyler’s most vulnerable album to date. There is a clear sense of maturity and self-criticism on a level that has never been seen from him before. Each track presents itself as a window into the raw honesty and relatable nature of the album that Tyler is choosing to highlight for this project.

The only full single that was released prior to the full album, “Noid,” is a very upfront way of expressing how he feels. “Noid” is short for paranoid, and paranoia is a strong theme across the album. On “Noid” Tyler says, “Triple checkin’ if I locked the door” and “Someone’s keeping watch I can feel it,” which are only two of multiple lines on this song and album that relate to his feeling of not having privacy.

There are numerous songs that stick out as very meaningful, but “Like Him” is particularly introspective. Tyler opens up about his feelings relating to growing up with an absent father, repeating the line “Do I look like him?” many times over. This song is an extremely emotional and moving way of describing his thoughts.

The most questionable song on the album is “Sticky,” which is surprising considering that it contains the most features on the album. Those features are GlorRilla, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne. While the song is not necessarily bad, it is almost too “silly” or chaotic to be taken seriously.

Other notable features on the record include Daniel Caesar, Teezo Touchdown, Childish Gambino, Schoolboy Q and Doechii. Fans who were quickly able to get their hands on a vinyl of “Chromakopia” discovered that there is an additional or “hidden” verse by Playboi Carti on the song “Thought I Was Dead” which is exclusive to the physical version.

It is crucial to mention the important role that Tyler’s mom plays in this album. She practically serves as the narrator of the whole project and is present on multiple songs providing life advice and words of wisdom. She supplies a lot of context and strengthens the meaning of many tracks.

At a live listening party for the album in Los Angeles, Tyler went on to express how much of the album is inspired by things that his mom told him as a kid. Now that he is 33 years old, he feels that he is able to understand what she meant on a deeper level and articulate it through his music.

“Chromakopia” is a beautiful display of not only how much Tyler, The Creator has grown sonically, but also as a person. This album serves as a masterclass in both storytelling and musical experimentation. The passion, effort, and creativity put into this project is exceptionally evident.

This is a record that will only continue to grow stronger with time. With every re-listen, there is something new to discover and enjoy. Without a doubt, it stands as one of the most compelling candidates for album of the year.

When listening to this album, please, take Tyler’s advice and “Make sure you listen in full with no expectations, no distractions, no checking text or social media, letting others paint your thoughts…Thank you.”

Rating: 9/10

Reviewer’s Favorite Song(s): “Darling I,” “Like Him”

Reviewer’s Least Favorite Song(s): N/A

Noah Vickery is a second-year majoring in communications. To contact him, email nmv5292@psu.edu.