IGOR Album Review: Boys Will Be Boys, Tyler will be Tyler
Tyler, the Creator continues an impressive quality increase, pointing to an Odd(er) future. It’s a welcomed display of responsible, yet realistic maturity.
Tyler, the Creator stomped and trolled his way through the decade. The so-called “old” Tyler, the Creator was unapologetically gross. An immature loudmouth, spewing the scummiest imagery, seemingly condoning violent homophobia, transphobia, rape, murder, dissection, and general serial killer behavior. Tyler is certainly not the first to rap about absurdly nonsensical violence, slathered with overt hypermasculine misogyny, but one of the first to feel the wave of Internet cancel culture. The torrent of criticism from the budding blogosphere was relentless. Of course, he didn’t care. A true maestro of clickbait, Tyler created a dedicated fanbase through provocation and stubborn individuality; a persona fully displayed online. His tight grasp on the trending section is crucial to his artistic image.
Unfortunately, Tyler’s attention-whoring was not enough to maintain a grasp on the mainstream. His trolling, when applied to lyricism, is unequivocally tedious. The im-just-joking sexism and homophobia laced throughout Bastard (2009) and Goblin (2011) has simply put, aged badly. The loose concepts constructed around the supposedly ironic awfulness is not worth subjecting oneself to the sonic equivalent of a catcalling stalker. Despite the relative commercial success of “Yonkers”, Tyler and the rest of Odd Future fenced themselves into a community of teenage e-boys (who don’t buy music).
Odd Future is essentially defunct, with many members engaging in classier endeavors. Many have atoned for their questionable previous endeavors; Earl denounced the childish “incel fanbase” the collective manifested in the past; Tyler himself blatantly states Goblin is “horrible”, willing to keep just 7 tracks from his studio debut. Odd Future’s timeline is one of constant refinement and growth (prime example: Frank Ocean). However, their founder never fully peeled off the troll label he stuck on himself. Until Flower Boy (2017).
Flower Boy presents a tentative crawl towards authenticity. Peeling back the forced controversy, Tyler reveals a deep lack of confidence regarding his masculinity. The shift towards a jazzier, neo-soul sound is oceans away from the distorted, synthetic, often annoying Wolf (2013) and Cherry Bomb (2015). Flower Boy is illuminating. It goes beyond revealing the supposedly virulent homophobe’s affection for white boys. The project highlights the underlying honesty behind the comedy, revealing a contradictory nature within Tyler. His struggles with fame, love, and sexuality bubble to the surface. The sensitivity is truly unexpected, and retroactively adds an element of escapist denialism regarding his previous work. The attention-grabbing antics of a crude sketch comedian morph into the insecure posturing of low self-esteem. These revelations are not unobstructed, as the album needs organization and clarity, especially regarding his sexuality; but the seed for a truly spectacular album was planted.
“Exactly what you run from, you end up chasing”
IGOR (2019) is Tyler germinating. If Flower Boy was Tyler’s exploratory “coming-out” album, IGOR is a return to familiar soil. However, the wisdom that sprouted two years ago is not sacrificed. As stated on the album art, IGOR is entirely written, produced, and performed by Tyler; the sense of ownership is prominent. IGOR is a collage generated from Tyler’s entire discography. Loose narrative concepts, eclectic synth-based production, lo-fi vocals, sporadic rhyme schemes, and daring experimentation; all are present.
IGOR filters the colorful arrangements of Flower Boy through the grimy, opaque sounds of Wolf and Cherry Bomb. IGOR is everything that made Tyler and his friends popular, a grainy mixture of Odd Future’s homegrown genre-hopping art. The vintage sounds of soul, R&B, funk, afrobeat, jazz, and indie ride a conveyor belt of synths, keys, and 808s. Occasionally, Tyler’s influences boil over, specifically Pharrell and Kanye West. “I THINK” is essentially a Neptunes beat, complete with a cheeky, “four, four, four, four” count.
Thematically, IGOR is a breakup album, centered around a bisexual love triangle: Tyler is in love with a man, who does not love him back, and chose to date a woman. The triangle’s gender is perfectly irrelevant. The queerness is accepted without pause, avoiding pandering and intentionally provocative lines (see white boys). The same man said 213 homophobic slurs on his debut.
“Curiosity killed the feline”
IGOR is an elaborate dramatization of a doomed relationship, and it’s inevitable demise. Each song represents a specific period within this decaying romance, as Tyler reaches for his ex’s unrequited love. “EARFQUAKE” exemplifies this clinginess. Awkward and pitiful cries for attention are juxtaposed with a gorgeous woodwind arrangement; Tyler belts out melodramatic pitchy vocals, begging his partner not to “leeeeeeave” because it’s his “faaaaaault”. “RUNNIN’ OUT OF TIME” is another angsty standout, as Tyler’s relationship drowns. Absolutely stunning MIDI arpeggios flutter throughout a consistent droning synth.
One key issue with IGOR: the poignant narrative is often lost in the oversaturated, lo-fi mix. The production distracts heavily; following and absorbing the plot is difficult. The impressive feature list (Playboi Carti, Solange, Kanye West, slowthai, Cee Lo Green) goes uncredited. Tyler gave his features the Cherry Bomb filter; their fuzzy vocals were seemingly recorded on a used Nintendo DS Lite. IGOR fogs it’s own window up, clouding its themes and nuances.
It’s frustrating, as these hidden nuances are the true genius of IGOR. The story presented is uniquely multifaceted for a breakup album, going beyond the cliches of unspecified jealousy and sadness. It captures the ugly side of a harmful, possibly abusive relationship, along with the addictive highs that come with the cycle. A surprisingly self-aware character, “Igor” often looks inward, analyzing his own pitfalls as a partner. The realization that he is in fact, the possessive one. “NEW MAGIC WAND”, a menacing banger, heavily implies casual threats of domestic violence. A classic “old” Tyler trope, the violent outburst simmers away on “A BOY IS A GUN*”, a glistening ballad. Tyler/Igor officially cuts off his uninterested partner, forging a (mostly) mutual understanding.
“Do you need a hug?”
IGOR wraps up with short vignettes of alone time, contradictory statements, cognitive reasoning, rebounding, and relapses. “PUPPET” is a somber, swinging feel sesh, a true heart-wrencher. Tyler/Igor goes through a sort of love withdrawal, proclaiming his now unattainable wants. He reminisces the good times, as lamentation pours from his mouth. Although the addition of speaker-phone Kanye West makes little sense beyond star power aesthetics.
“WHAT’S GOOD” blares in with shifting garage-ish synths, and a classic boom-bap drumline. Tyler/Igor raps with conviction and confidence, delivering the smoothest lyrics on the project. “How the fuck you quiet with the mic on?” is a clever moment of self-aware irony. The track serves as the rebound stage of the relationship; Tyler/Igor reminds himself of his own talents by calling out “Sam Bowie ass ni**as”.
The two-part “GONE, GONE / THANK YOU” fully encapsulates the beauty of IGOR. A gorgeous R&B-city pop fusion, with another entrancing piano arpeggio. The “love is gone”, and the glorious instrumental is a perfect representation of this liberating feeling; the puppet strings are cut. Tyler/Igor thanks his ex-partner for the good times, despite the lingering heartbreak. Gratefulness over vitriol.
The final two tracks, present an uncertain future for our newly independent character. The penultimate “I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE” is a swelling orchestral breakdown, with a screeching proclamation of the track’s title. “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?”, which features an Al Green sample, raises questions regarding this statement’s conviction. It leaves the possibility for regression open, as he doesn’t want to “end on a bad episode”. An uneasy, but satisfying conclusion, to Tyler’s best project to date.
“I finally found peace…so peace”
Men are prideful beings. The term “toxic masculinity” has become a buzzword, a quick but valid explanation for shitty male actions. We forget overcoming toxic behaviors is a daunting task, given societal structures in place. We forget that men are conditioned to be immovable stone, chiseled into an inherent sense of superiority and entitlement. Often, men willingly forget that overcoming these toxic attitudes is not only possible but ultimately liberating. IGOR represents the full acceptance of this therapeutic process; the rough trek to the breathtaking summit of authenticity
IGOR is an imperfect metaphor, the encapsulates an imperfect career of trial-and-error. It intricately reflects the inner workings of an improving man; the doubt, the self-flagellation, the cognitive dissonance, the setbacks. It’s an album that intimately understands the non-linear nature of meaningful progress. Tyler, the Creator’s career is evidence that all people, but specifically men, have within themselves the ability to bloom. They just have to water themselves first.
8.5/10
