[ALBUM REVIEW] Favorites from Tyler, The Creator’s ‘Chromakopia’

1. Tomorrow

Tyler’s mother leads him through the album with short snippets often summarizing Tyler’s internal thoughts. “Tomorrow” opens with Tyler’s mother asking for a grandchild: “I’m gettin’ old and I need a grandchild, please / Just one, please” she says.

Despite how much Tyler has accomplished in his career, he still feels like he is behind: behind his friends who have built families by getting married and having children. He speaks for the pressure people in their thirties feel. Singing “I’m too paranoid”, Tyler alludes to fearing falling into the trap of meaningless commitment resulting in yet another disastrous relationship or worse, a broken family.

2. Balloon (feat. Doechii)

Doechii grabbed the attention of millions of listeners with her feature on “Balloon”. The energy oozing from her lines paired with the vibrating piano riffs makes this track a soul-ascending listen. Simply put, an extended version of “Balloon” would run for good money.

3. I Killed You

The synths layered on top of each other on “I Killed You” is reminiscent of Tyler’s earlier work. The track is arguably the turning point in Tyler’s mindset and album. In Call Me if You Get Lost, Tyler’s lavish lifestyle was his status symbol, but in this song, Tyler’s race is. He sings about embracing the coils and kinks in his hair to the beat of rhythmic drums and intermittent horns.

4. Sticky (feat. GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne)

This track’s simple beats, that sound like a new hype song for high school bands to play, feel like a breath of fresh air from Tyler’s intricate instrumentation. Beginning with whistles and chants, “Sticky” ramps up by each verse exploding into the roaring track it is. GloRilla, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne’s bursts of intoxicating lyrics flood “Sticky” with vibrance.

5. Darling, I (feat. Teezo Touchdown)

The instrumentals on “Darling, I” sounds like falling in love with someone, a fitting ballad for Tyler’s lyrics. This song relays Tyler, The Creator’s classic anti-monogamy ideology but in a fresh way. Rather than spewing bars about all the women and men he wants to sleep with, Tyler seemingly sings to one person: “I get different things from different people, / And I want you to explore too / Have those moments and experiences,” he sings.

Following the theme of paranoia that permeates “Chromakopia”, Tyler hints at his own fear of settling down: “It’s not fair just to be stuck with me.” To be fair, he can’t get sick of someone if he doesn’t commit to them.

6. Hey Jane

Tyler raps about an accidental pregnancy from both perspectives. The lyrics are complex and messy, emulating the tense situation. Throughout the song Tyler remains indifferent about being a father to his child playing an antagonistic role in the song.
What drives Tyler’s aptitude home is how he raps the mothers point of view: The line “I got a mini version of myself living in me,” perfectly encapsulates women realizing what being pregnant means.

The instrumental is not standout, but in this song, the main show is the lyrics. While this may not be the best addition to your road trip playlist, “Hey Jane” is a lyrical paragon landing it on the favorites list.

7. St. Chroma

Despite his soft whispers about wanting to quit the fame, Tyler proves why he is famous in the first place. The smooth piano harmonies soften the blow of abrupt stomping feet in ‘St. Chroma’. The synth speeding up throughout the song transports listeners to Tyler’s new era. Get ready because the musical genius is back.

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[ALBUM REVIEW] Top tracks from Tyler, The Creator’s “Chromakopia”

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