Review: Tyler, The Creator - IGOR
Tyler, The Creator’s sixth full-length album, IGOR, sees the rapper finally give shape to his more radical ideas, unifying/amalgamating a variety of thematic and sonic elements from across his discography in his most uncompromising record yet. The album provides both a cathartic and more realised conclusion to the bold experimentation of Cherry Bomb, as well as a return to the pent-up aggression of his earlier career. Further building upon his previous album, Flower Boy, which saw Tyler succeed in recontextualizing himself as an artist himself, adding a degree of honesty, self reflection and vulnerability, without sacrificing his subversive edge. IGOR is a deeper exploration into the sonic landscape and possibilities that this newfound introspection can allow.
What is immediately striking about the album remains its superb production. Tyler seamlessly melds together elements of R&B, funk and hip-hop. He oscillates between extremes of aggression and melodic beauty, creating an aural experience like no other, that plays more like a beat tape than a traditional rap album. By placing his vocals deeper within the mix, Tyler highlights that the majority of the importance of the record should be found through musical expression, creating an album that places equal importance on both the structure and craft of the music as it does the lyrical content.
This becomes evident from the outset, rather than detailing a specific emotion or event, “Igor’s Theme” serves as an introduction to the palette of sound that’ll be informing the listener throughout the album, establishing the musical and lyrical concepts that will be adapted throughout IGOR.
Despite the ambitious and unconventional narrative structure of the album, intertwining fantasy and reality, streams of consciousness and conversation IGOR somehow still presents a clear narrative arc where every swerve in tone and texture feels carefully calculated to communicate the message and story of our protagonists romantic plight.
The album maps the contradictions that come with being in love with someone: the obsessions and aggressions of unrequited love, jealousy, devotion, and eventual liberation. This romantic turmoil births the character of Igor. It becomes clear that this persona and Tyler himself are one in the same, and the album acts as an extended metaphor for Tyler’s own emotional progression following the release of Flower Boy. In popular culture, the character of Igor, is often presented as an individual caught between disdain and devotion to his master.
In the context of this album, Igor’s master is the object of his affections, who rules his emotions, that he simultaneously threatens and pledges himself to.Where Tyler was previously ruled and defined by aggression - injecting bitter and anti-romantic sentiments across his music - Igor channels this aggression into a new creative expression. At its core, the album remains about feeling and acknowledging negative emotions such as: denial, jealousy, pain and anguish analysing the positive transformative potential these hold. Where ‘Flower Boy’ was a more positive, sincere and romantic evolution to Tyler, The Creator, IGOR sees Tyler finally content in the face of all the agony that previously defined his music. He proves that, even after ten years, he is far from creative exhaustion; and continues to evolve as an artist, push boundaries and challenge expectation.
