Spectreview: Tyler, The Creator – IGOR

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Tyler Okonma was on the last gasp of his days as a minor when his controversial rap collective Odd Future captured the imaginations of raving teenage boys everywhere, but as a man in his mid-twenties he’s blessedly taken small, appreciable steps toward escaping the infantility of his previous works. History has shown that this not need happen for sustaining a career (looking at you, Eminem), so witnessing an artist mature in real-time, as we did on 2017’s lovely Flower Boy, is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. His follow-up, IGOR, demonstrates how far Tyler’s come as a storyteller; whether or not his accounts of a prior same-sex love affair are completely truthful, he captures the pitfalls of infatuation, especially in the midst of a sexual identity crisis, with a defter, more nuanced hand than many thought possible. Tyler’s writing is usually circuitous and self-referential, but flitting back and froth between opposing mentalities makes thematic sense, capturing how unrequited love breaks down logical thought. It also demands multiple listens, as words and motifs introduced later in the album, (puppetry, photography, guns, etc.) give earlier lyrics fresh context. There’s an overall lack of specificity that would help us ground this documented affair in a time and place, but it’s almost as if it’s intended to disorient the listener, making young Tyler’s confused state of mind even more immersive.

Disorientation is the key word here, as sonically the album employs Tyler’s classic sides (Soulquarian jazz-soul and rabid, abrasive rap) in a way that resembles Solange’s recent When I Get Home: heavily stirred and close to psychedelia, without clear boundaries. It’s a relatively novel approach for Tyler, and his laser focus on theme helps give the new direction weight, but the tradeoff is that crafting a cauldron of sound arguably yields less memorable moments. The Solange-assisted “I THINK” is a clear standout with its roller-rink bounce and heady emotional field, while “NEW MAGIC WAND” shreds its edges and seethes with violence. Tyler’s decision to feature amateur sung verses sans Auto-Tune, as well as pitched up raps and features from artists like Playboi Carti, are inspired, and while the performances grate occasionally, thematically they help establish young Tyler’s perspective. IGOR’s namesake might be eternally nebulous, but as a document of Tyler’s continued artistic evolution it’s clear how far he’s comes from being a bastard and a goblin.

Recommended for riding ‘round town.