The rapper’s new album is a confessional dive into his psyche.
Tyler, The Creator caught fans by surprise when he announced, rolled out, and released his new album CHROMAKOPIA in just 12 days. It came complete with a full-fledged promotional campaign and was put out on a Monday, going against the industry standard of dropping on Fridays.
“Give a f*** about tradition,” he says on the album’s opening track “St. Chroma.”
Released on Oct. 28, the album acts as a self-meditation. While his previous albums have explored different feelings and experiences introspectively, CHROMAKOPIA sees Tyler dealing with them head-on and critically, opening up about his psyche through a series of topical deep dives.
The themes on the record are prefaced by Tyler’s mother Bonita Smith, whose words of advice bookend the album and many of its tracks, similarly to Kanye West’s mother on Donda.
“Darling, I” is an endearing yet melancholic reflection on love where the rapper describes feeling conflicted between exploring different partners and monogamy, as well as contrasting long-term commitment against the idea of running out of time or having to wait forever. Along with a bouncy, summery beat and Teezo Touchdown’s yelping and harmonic background vocals, the track carries a truly sentimental tone.
“I Killed You” is a visceral extended metaphor that creatively explains the relationship that Black people have with their hair. “Tomorrow” is a strikingly mortal reflection about Tyler juggling his career with the idea of having a child. The rapper ponders paranoia on “Noid,” over a slow rock instrumental consisting of kicks and electric guitar hits that makes for a new, unique sound in his catalogue.
Storytelling enhances these reflections on numerous tracks: “Hey Jane” explores the emotions and thoughts of two partners in the context of an accidental pregnancy; “Take Your Mask Off” enlists three different perspectives that describe individuals upholding one portrayal of themselves while suppressing their true feelings and aspirations, plus a final verse where the artist picks himself apart under the same lens.
The writing throughout the album is descriptive, emotional, and genuine, but also strikingly direct — it is easily his most personal work to date.
“Mama, I’m chasin’ a ghost/I don’t know who he is” is the sorrowful proclamation Tyler makes on “Like Him,” referencing his absentee father through the comparisons his mother draws between them.
The song is a swing-tempo ballad where the energy crescendos, starting as a piano melody and building up to a cathartic release, complete with a synth solo that perfectly complements the track’s emotional depth.
The album’s production matches this sincerity with the rapper-producer’s usual blend of pianos, soft drums, and synths. Tracks like “Darling, I” and “Hey Jane” are reminiscent of the soft, fuzzy soundscape on his 2017 album Flower Boy. “Take Your Mask Off” has an equally slick and soulful beat.
These serious tones are also balanced with higher energy moments.
“Sticky” is the album’s token hype track, a marching band-style banger complete with thumping drum hits, whistles, and triangles. The guest features from GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne are all dynamic; the only drawback is that they only last four lines.
The intro song, along with the following, braggadocious “Rah Tah Tah,” both feature slightly overblown production that calls back to Tyler’s album Cherry Bomb, albeit more polished. “Thought I Was Dead” is another upbeat track filled with rambunctious horns and percussion sounds.
The smooth transitions between tracks allow for the record to maintain its momentum across its runtime, even through drastic changes in mood.
CHROMAKOPIA is the latest example of Tyler’s rapper-producer talents, yet it is distinctly his most personal and visceral effort to date. Through storytelling and self-criticism, he explores each idea with a striking self-awareness that allows him to lay everything on the table.
Score: 8.5/10
Trial Track: “Take Your Mask Off”
