Tyler, The Creator’s long-awaited seventh studio album has finally been released, and the wait was undoubtedly worth it. CHROMAKOPIA has broken Tyler’s pattern of releasing a new album every two years, but that extra time went to good use.
- “St. Chroma” (ft. Daniel Caesar)
“St. Chroma” not only acts as the starting point of the album but was also used as a teaser for it on October 16th when Tyler released a snippet of the song along with a captivating music video. “St. Chroma” also introduces Tyler’s new militarily dressed, masked persona of the same name, St. Chroma, who is featured on the album’s cover. Because of all this, the song’s value exceeds its sound, but that’s not to say the music is not enjoyable. It does its job as an introductory track very well.
The slow burn of the first two minutes and subsequent explosion of sirens, and intense drum breaks, bridge to the rapping section of the song masterfully. Daniel Caesar’s vocals, which lead into the explosive midpoint and end the song, contrast its aggression beautifully. The song shows a struggle to find passion and individuality with lines like “Do I keep the light on or do I gracefully bow out?” and “Mirror got me thinkin’ bout my bookend.” This conflicted theme also shows itself through the words of the album’s narrator Bonita Smith (Tyler’s mother) when she says, “You are the light. It’s not on you, it’s in you.”
Overall, the song does an exceedingly good job setting the stage for the album by dipping into a synergetic variety of sounds, introducing a unique narrator, and utilizing lyrics to convey a passionate message.
(8.3/10)
2. “Rah Tah Tah”
“Rah Tah Tah”, the album’s second track, wastes no time getting bold. Unlike the slow burn of “St. Chroma,” “Rah Tah Tah”’s high energy can be felt almost instantly both through the lyrics and instrumentals. The eerie, sci-fi synth and bark-like chants at the very start of the song help to achieve its aggressive and confident sound quickly.
The lyrics keep up with the intensity of the song’s instrumentals with lots of braggy claims and comparisons. Through the first line of the song, which is repeated in the chorus, “She ain’t never met no one who talk like that.” Tyler claims to have a unique and enticing personality compared to others. He makes it a point that such a personality is something to be proud of, thus bragging about it, and his achievements, continuously throughout the song.
“Rah Tah Tah”’s chaotic percussion, choppy 808 bass, and piercing synth progression keep the song’s energy red-hot; small additions like the repeated background chants and record scratches also masterfully weave into the song’s vibrant atmosphere.
Though the message of the song is not one of inspiration or relatability, it still achieves its goal of being a high-energy, fun, and bold track. Because of these attributes, as well as its re-playability, “Rah Tah Tah” has a good chance of becoming one of the most streamed songs from the album.
(8.4/10)
3. “Noid”
“Noid,” similar to “St. Chroma,” was used as a teaser for the album, released as a single on October 21st along with a music video. If there was one word to describe this track it would have to be “unique.” A huge variety of sounds are present on “Noid” ranging from layered and distorted synths to Zambian vocal performances. Because of this wide-ranging variety, the song is like a journey for the ears, jumping from sound to sound. Much like “St. Chroma”, it has somewhat of a slow burn but kicks it up quite a bit in its latter half with a dramatically expressed string of bars relating to the overwhelming reality of stardom. The song’s lyrics show how parasocial fans and reporters make Tyler’s privacy feel constantly invaded with lines like “They wanna know where I close my eyes at, I keep my eyes wide.”
The message of the song is expressed thoroughly, and it has a wonderful arrangement of vastly differing sounds to complement this message. However, the song’s introduction goes on for quite a lengthy period, making it feel lacking in that segment and subsequently impacting its quality.
(6.9/10)
4. “Darling, I” (ft. Teezo Touchdown)
The sound of “Darling, I” is somewhat reminiscent of Tyler’s 2017 album Flowerboy, with a lively and warm feel. This sound is accomplished through the layered use of wispy and high-pitched vocals, acoustic guitar strums, upbeat percussive patterns, and his signature warped synth.
The sprinkling in of Teezo Touchdown’s smooth vocal performance throughout the track also helps it stand out as bright and somewhat cheerful in regards to sound. The theme of the track, however, does not reflect such qualities with lyrics relating to a struggle to find a relationship that feels right. The song’s lyrics and instrumentals almost clash with each other portraying pleasantness with its instrumentals and unhappiness through its lyrics; these contrasts still complement each other throughout though. Ultimately, the song combines these attributes to form a fantastic atmosphere that beautifully conveys its theme.
(8.3/10)
5. “Hey Jane”
The topic of “Hey Jane” is intimate and incredibly personal and its structure reflects that wonderfully. The song puts much more of an emphasis on its lyrics than its instrumentals, almost coming off as spoken word at times.
“Hey Jane” acts as an allegorical piece discussing the stress and struggles of an unexpected pregnancy from both sides; this continues CHROMAKOPIA‘s theme of the complications of adulthood.
Each segment of the track expresses the difficulties that both sides feel realistically and tastefully. The song has simple but effective lyrics that show the vastly different perspectives and thoughts about the situation the two subjects find themselves in along with a simple collection of calm instrumentals to help guide it along. Though it may not be played at a party, “Hey Jane” crafts a beautiful and poetic song that charmingly tells a deep story.
(7.5/10)
6. “I Killed You” (ft. Childish Gambino)
“I Killed You” dives into the discriminatory and shameful treatment that people of African descent are often victims of, as well as the results of such treatment.
The song’s lyrics refer to how hateful actions and words can impact the way someone feels about their culture and heritage. The repeated phrase “I killed you” is used in reference to how people can start to feel ashamed of and distanced from their cultural identity after enduring repeated hate and or shame for it.
Childish Gambino’s short and sweet feature on this track challenges the idea of “killing” one’s identity and instead focuses on self-empowerment by repeating the line “just as beautiful” over and over to end the song. Though the song’s message is great, its sound does not reach the same status. The first half of it is all over the place which, whether intentionally or not, does not make for good replayability. Its latter half’s sound is far more enjoyable and has a floaty feel to it created by using a combination of fading vocals, peaceful strings, and a melodic bongo pattern. The inconsistency in its sound definitely holds back “I Killed You” but does not completely overshadow its enjoyable aspects.
(7.2/10)
7. “Judge Judy” (ft. Childish Gambino)
The album’s seventh track, “Judge Judy,” has a captivating and bouncy cadence to it, instantly giving it a stand-out sound. “Judge Judy,” while keeping its feel consistently easygoing, has a very synergistic building of sounds that grows as the song continues.
Like “Darling, I,” “Judge Judy” has a lovely and cheerful sound to it but contains far more downbeat and melancholy lyrics. The song delves into a relationship between Tyler and a lover, having a focus on not judging a partner’s choices or wishes.
It seems like a harmless story until the end of the song when a letter is written from the lover expressing gratitude for the good times, but claiming that will never be able to experience them again due to a deadly illness. A message that can be taken from the song is to enjoy relationships and be clear and nonjudgmental in them because things could change on a dime. The song not only does a good job of vividly portraying the story of a complicated relationship and its tragic end, but it also keeps a catchy and evolving sound throughout its entirety.
(8.1/10)
8. “Sticky” (ft. GloRilla, Lil Wayne, and Sexyy Red)
Easily claiming the title as CHROMAKOPIA’s most fun track is “Sticky.” Though the features on this track from Lil Wayne, GloRilla, and Sexyy Red are short; they all pack unique and captivating energy. The song almost feels like a group chant that is recited before playing a big game, with lyrics relating to getting ready for something. The song’s message is pure energy and hype rather than something more melancholy and meaningful, but that does not totally diminish its quality.
The artists featured in the song boost its high energy to another level with boldly profane lyrics and aggressive deliveries. “Sticky”’s wild and all-over-the-place percussive section keeps up with its bold and vulgar lyrics, making for a consistently fun and easy listen.
(7.4/10)
9. “Take Your Mask Off” (ft. Daniel Caesar)
“Take Your Mask Off” achieves a lot in its four minutes and thirteen seconds of run time. Contrasting the previous track greatly, “Take Your Mask Off” has a chipper and inviting sound, again somewhat similar to that of 2017’s Flowerboy. The song’s pleasant sound is enhanced by an electrifying synth, peaceful background harmonies, and complementary soft drums.
The song criticizes a variety of lifestyles that revolve around putting up a front and encourages those who do so to “take your mask off” and “find yourself.” A message of rejecting conformity and embracing one’s genuine self is present in the lyrics of “Take Your Mask Off”. This positive and encouraging message along with its warm sound helps “Take Your Mask Off” masterfully convey great advice while remaining a quality and catchy song.
(8.5/10)
10. Tomorrow
“Tomorrow” has a theme of how immense pressure from others can lead to an awful cycle of comparisons and groundless self-hatred. To match its melancholy topic is a melancholy sound achieved through a slow acoustic guitar progression, as well as matching background vocals. The realities and downsides of growing older show themselves in “Tomorrow” focussing on how others always seem to be doing more with their lives while Tyler has little to show for his decades of being alive.
Much like “Hey Jane” there is more of an emphasis on the lyrics within “Tomorrow” than the musical side, with Tyler’s words being front and center throughout. Despite this, it keeps a high quality in both compartments expressing a personal struggle of Tyler’s while having a laid-back harmony constantly present.
(7.6/10)
11. Thought I Was Dead (ft. Schoolboy Q)
“Thought I Was Dead,” similar to “St. Chroma” and “Noid,” was released as a teaser before CHROMAKOPIA’s full release, giving fans a taste of the song’s confidence and full sound early.
The song instantly expresses itself to be a very danceable track with a militant style chant starting it off; horns and additional chanting quickly come in as well. This leads to an early explosion of sound and energy with a repetition of the song’s title being rapped by Tyler. This repetitive line addresses how CHROMAKOPIA broke his pattern of releasing a new studio album every two years and how fans viewed the additional year’s wait. “Thought I Was Dead” also delves into how Tyler does not like the constant prying eyes invading his life with the bar “I don’t wanna be found, I don’t wanna be down.”
Schoolboy Q fits the song’s energy well with his complimentary flow and lyrics. His feature adds a different sound to the song while remaining synergetic to its feel. “Thought I Was Dead,” like many of the album’s songs, is packed to the brim with energy with a very fun and danceable sound. His bars help emphasize the theme of individuality and pride present throughout the song. “Thought I Was Dead” expresses its theme through a variety of different rapping styles all while keeping a fantastic feel and sound.
(8.5/10)
12. “Like Him”
“Like Him” tastefully takes its crown as the best song on the album with masterful lyricism and a beautiful harmony of sounds that erupt after its peaceful-sounding introduction.
“Like Him” expresses a topic present in almost every one of Tyler’s albums, the impacts of an absent father. Specifically, it delves into the mental hardships that have come from Tyler’s lack of a connection to his father while having small reminders of him present. A point is made that Tyler shares similarities to his father, which contributes to a struggle to find individuality. The repetition of the line “Mama I’m chasing a ghost, I don’t know who he is” shows how Tyler struggles with his lack of a relationship with his father and the resemblances he shares with him. The track undoubtedly evokes lots of emotion as Tyler pours out some of his most personal struggles with its accompanying gorgeous sound.
The soft piano at the beginning set the stage for the song’s explosion of intense and vibrant sound created with a massive variety of instrumentals. The sound of “Like Him” is nothing short of a masterpiece and stands out as one of Tyler’s best songs in all of his discography. The ending dialogue of Tyler’s mother explaining how she hid things about his father from him for years and got in the way of them having a relationship is absolutely crushing and ends the song perfectly. The song’s incredibly vulnerable message and magnificent production make “Like Him” out to be a powerful and moving track with lots to enjoy.
(9.3/10)
13. “Balloon” (ft. Doechii)
“Balloon” is a total juxtaposition from the deeply emotional “Like Him” with a very cheery and upbeat sound to it.
The song has a child-like feel and is almost reminiscent of carnival music. It features lots of jumpy, high-pitched synths and a bouncy cadence. As the song progresses, its sound builds on itself and slowly grows to become more energetic and bold. The lyrics, though not matching the song’s childish tone, are still delivered in a fun way. They express a theme of not caring about the criticisms of others and doing what you want. Doechii’s feature on “Balloon” is provocative and matches the song’s energy perfectly with a boastful attitude and very lively deliveries. It does not have the tasteful and deeply impactful message that many other tracks on CHROMAKOPIA have, but “Balloons” absolutely holds its own as a bubbly and fun track packed with energy.
(7.2/10)
14. “I Hope You Find Your Way Home”
The album’s final track “I Hope You Find Your Way Home” does its job of bringing the album to a finale. The song emanates encouragement for others to find their own path and discover stability that feels right for them. Though often coming off as confident and bold throughout the album, “I Hope You Find Your Way Home” also shows a side of Tyler with far less assurance with repeated mentions of “Slipping” showing his stability might not be as well grounded as it appears.
The feeling that the sound of “I Hope You Find Your Way Home” is trying to provoke remains ambiguous. The musical aspect of the song fails to expressively show its purpose, coming across as somewhat generic amongst many of the album’s unique tracks. It does not fail to end CHROMAKOPIA by any means, but it just seems a bit lackluster compared to the glamour and distinctiveness of the other tracks.
(6.8/10)
Overall, CHROMAKOPIA shows the difficulties that come with adulthood in a unique and creative manner. It beautifully expresses the struggles Tyler deals with at this point in his life all while keeping the polished and distinct sound his music holds. CHROMAKOPIA has definitely marked its spot as a likely contender for lots of future musical awards and undoubtedly has a remarkable quality to it.
On the whole, I rate CHROMAKOPIA a 7.9/10.
