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Following the wild success of his 2021 album, “Call Me If You Get Lost,” Tyler, the Creator took a three-year hiatus. Now, he’s returned to music, feeding his starved fans with an album and a world tour that introduces his matured and refined sound in “CHROMAKOPIA.”

Tyler released “CHROMAKOPIA,” his seventh studio album, on Oct. 27. With 14 tracks, the work took fans by surprise as Tyler teased the album on his Instagram with “St. Chroma” and “Noid” just a few days before its full release. In the comments, fans rumored a potential feature from Frank Ocean. Though Ocean doesn’t appear on the track list, Daniel Caesar, Lil Wayne and Sexyy Red are just a few of the star features on the project.

Four days later, on the album’s official release date, Tyler held a listening party at the Intuit Dome in his hometown of Inglewood, California, where he explained the inspiration for the album. Tyler said he originally meant to encompass moments of his youth, but it eventually turned into an unpacking of life lessons from his mom. The album is a concrete work displaying Tyler’s growth as a musician and personal development.

“Now that I’m 33, all of that stuff is like, ‘Oh that’s what the f*ck (my mom) was talking about,” Tyler said to the crowd of 17,000.

Tyler uses strong background vocals and loud backing tracks to pair with his songs. This is something we have heard him do time and time again in “Flower Boy” and “Wolf.” However, in “CHROMAKOPIA,” the sound is intensified, with instruments, background vocals and lyrics colliding to create a cohesive listening experience.

“St. Chroma,” the album’s opening track, is a perfect example. The music is Tyler’s way of telling his listeners that he’s back, and you can feel it in the powerful beats and intentional lyrics. Stomps and hand claps persist throughout the song as Tyler chants the word “CHROMAKOPIA.” It’s a striking and unmistakable way to start the album.

Through the various sounds, listeners can hear Tyler’s message loud and clear. His mom’s powerful words echo in fans’ ears with a strong backing that drives the words home.

“You are the light / It’s not on you, it’s in you / don’t you ever in your motherf**king life, dim your light for nobody,” Tyler’s mom says at the song’s start.

The third track, “Noid,” is reminiscent of Tyler’s signature sound in his 2017 hit, “See You Again.” This time, however, the music is more nuanced and layered, reflecting Tyler’s years in the industry and what they have taught him.

The song samples “Nizakupanga Ngozi” by the Zambian band Ngozi Family. The lyrics, some in the Nyanja language, reflect Tyler’s paranoia and what it means to be in the spotlight, always feeling like there’s someone watching. Once again, the music circles back to a lesson his mom taught him of keeping his business to himself.

Tyler switches things up with his eighth track, “Sticky.” The song features GloRilla, Sexyy Red, Lil Wayne, Timbaland and Young Buck, providing listeners with an energetic abundance of sound. Differing from some of the other reflective songs on the album, it’s clear that “Sticky” is meant to give fans a good time.

And it delivers. The upbeat tune and rambunctious lyrics bombard listeners, making them want to bop their heads along to the beat. Almost at the midpoint of the album, the song is a nice break from the other mellow tracks. It also brings fans back to Tyler’s original style with lyrics and sound from traditional rap.

Following up “Sticky,” Tyler’s tenth track “Tomorrow” takes fans on yet another emotional roller coaster. The sentimental lyrics of this song are paired with a soft melody. The lyrics are personable and give listeners a look into his life, making him feel like more of a normal person than a famous artist.

“My mother’s hands don’t look the same / These jet black strands are turning gray / I’m gaining weight, I’d rather rest / The thought of children, it brings me stress / Because time is changing,” Tyler sings.

Listeners can relate to and sympathize with these feelings of aging and watching loved ones age. Time is always moving and part of humanity is watching it slip away.

In song twelve, “Like Him,” Tyler sings about his father — someone he has never known but can imagine from his mom’s descriptions. Throughout the song, Tyler references how his mother talks about Tyler’s resemblance to his father.

“She said that I make expressions like him / My legs to my shoulders and my chin like him / My waist and my posture like him,” Tyler sings.

Tyler has made music about his dad in the past, like his song “Answer,” where he hopes his dad will pick up the phone when he calls. Contrasting his past sound, “Like Him” isn’t resentful or needy and, instead, takes an accepting approach with soft lyricism. Though he isn’t present in his life, Tyler’s dad is a formative figure in his music.

From reflective and emotionally striking tracks to fun, forget-your-worries music, Tyler executes it all well. In the album, he embodies the feelings of getting older and the realizations that come with age.

Closing out the album is “I Hope You Find Your Way Home.” The song’s title and lyricism allude to “Call Me If You Get Lost.” In a way, the song is a final homecoming. Tyler has found his identity as both a person and artist and is no longer metaphorically lost.

“Real sh*t, I’m proud of you / I’m proud of you, bro / Like, you just never cease to amaze me, like, you just — there’s no words for how I feel,” says Tyler’s mom at the end of the song.

Tyler shares the lessons he has learned in his life and the things his loved ones have taught him — a culmination of everything he is and has been. While simultaneously solidifying his reminiscent sound and layering his new knowledge of adulthood, Tyler embraces a new, older era.

Published on October 29, 2024 at 11:57 pm