(Source: The Grandview Chronicle)
From kaleidoscopic production to “what did he just say?” bars, CHROMAKOPIA proves that Tyler, The Creator still refuses to be put in a box.
Released on October 28, it’s his first full-length project since Call Me If You Get Lost in 2021, and honestly, he hasn’t lost an ounce of his creativity. If anything, this album takes his sound and story further than ever before.
Tyler Okonma (aka Tyler, The Creator) has always used alter egos in his music to drop revelatory bombshells. Early on, we had Ace and Wolf Hayley (loud and rebellious), then Chur Bomb (more of a mascot than ego), Flower Boy (vulnerable and introspective), IGOR (heartbroken), and Tyler Baudelaire (wealthy and stylish). Now in CHROMAKOPIA, we meet a new version of him: “Saint Chroma” or “Chroma the Great,” inspired by a character who literally colors the world in The Phantom Tollbooth.
Hence the monochromatic cover art.
Also, in the “Sorry Not Sorry” music video from Call Me If You Get Lost era, Tyler is literally seen “killing” off his past characters, which seems like his metaphoric way of saying he’s starting over.
The rapper’s mother, Bonita Smith, pops in from time to time as well. She gives speeches telling Tyler to be true to himself and as she says “never dim your light for nobody.” He very clearly took that to heart during production, which is why I believe this feels more personal and grown-up compared to his other works.
The album mixes jazz, soul, rock, hip-hop, and alternative rap. Some songs are chill and slow, while others are mellow with distorted bass and layered vocals. It’s like a mood swing or “colors” of sound matching the vibe of the album’s title.
Given that Tyler the Creator became an expert at blending all these contrasting sounds on Cherry Bomb or Flower Boy, this is hardly shocking. In order to fit the various moods he’s aiming for, it makes sense that his new music would be equally original and creative.
One of the most hype songs is “Sticky,” featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne. The beat is catchy with a whistle loop, and the hook, “It’s gettin’ sticky, sticky, sticky,” sticks in your head. The features all bring their own flair, and the whole track feels like a cheerleader chant that you’d hear at a high school football game.
Another standout is “Darling, I” with Teezo Touchdown. It’s dreamy and talks about open relationships and learning to be honest with someone he cares about. The beat feels like you’re floating, and it’s one of the more chill, thoughtful songs on the album.
The lyrics express his typical anti-monogamy views in a new way as he seems to be addressing one person: “I get different things from different people, / And I want you to explore too / Have those moments and experiences.”
Throughout CHROMAKOPIA, you can hear Tyler reflecting on who he is now and how he’s grown. In the opener “St. Chroma” (with Daniel Caesar), he opens up about getting older and thinking back on his choices. On “Hey Jane,” he talks about almost becoming a father and tells the story from both his and Jane’s point of view.
(A still from “Noid” official music video)
In “Noid”, Tyler’s rock vibe and the uncredited WILLOW vocals really detail his paranoia. He expresses how constantly having his every move being watched feels like a prison, especially in lines like, “Privacy? Yeah right, I got a better shot in the NBA / Ain’t no respect for nothin’, voice recordin’ all discussions / Her, him, they, them, or anybody, I don’t trust ’em at, at all.”
At first, I didn’t like this song, but I definitely warmed up to it the more it played. The production reminds me of “Are We Still Friends?” (Igor) As for the lyrics, fans were quick to notice its similarities to “Colossus” (WOLF) because both mention how he has to deal with obsessive fans.
Not every track was a hit for me, though. “Balloon” felt too weird with its carnival-like beat, and “Judge Judy” was a little too much with the fetishes and intimacy talk. But that’s also just Tyler being himself. Honest and odd.
He makes up for it in the fourth to last track, “Like Him,” a piano-led ballad where Tyler talks about his father being absent most of his childhood. His mom even speaks in the outro, saying it wasn’t all his dad’s fault and to not hold a grudge against him. The line that hit me most was: “Mama, I’m chasing a ghost, do I look like him?”
Growth is definitely the central theme of CHROMAKOPIA. Tyler is discovering his true self and letting go of the person he once was. The album as a whole has shown how far he’s come eight albums later, even if some of the songs (*cough* or the majority of his discography at all *cough*) doesn’t float everyone’s boat.
Though some tracks seemed a little hit-or-miss, overall, I’d give it a solid 9 because it’s a new take on his sound and does a great job of balancing his weirdness with personal moments.
Final verdict: 9/10
Listen to CHROMAKOPIA here:
SBHS Tyro Times 