CHROMAKOPIA

Tyler the Creator

Joshua Kloss

Footsteps shuffle in a march, high-tension beats ring out, and the words “CHROMAKOPIA” are being chanted between the two. And that’s only the opening track. 

Tyler, the Creator’s eighth studio album is a conglomeration of anthems and allegories. Some songs showcase the artist’s unfailing rap flow and his lyrical ingenuity, like “Rah Tah Tah” and “Thought I was Dead.” Others exemplify his versatility in embracing slower storytelling rhythms, as in the allusory songs “Dear Jane” and “Judge Judy.” There are also a variety of exciting features, my favorite being Glorilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne on “Sticky” and Doechii on “Balloon.” Undoubtedly, the album features enough range that all fans of Tyler—new and old alike—seemed to have something to look forward to in “CHROMAKOPIA.” 

Though Tyler’s ability to transition between tracks and put out a quick-witted, smooth rap has never been up for debate, “CHROMAKOPIA” serves to remind us of that. Listening to the album chronologically, you’ll likely fail to notice when a completely new song begins because the transitions are so well achieved, especially from “St. Chroma” to “Rah Tah Tah.”

The album is thematically long-ranging. The paranoia of losing touch with one’s art while gaining fame are grappled with in “Noid.” Ruminations on the potential suffocation of monogamy persist in “Darling, I.” Common in all the songs is the love of craft and undying passion for the art of creating music. Tyler reminds us that even a critically-acclaimed Creator can face the existential dread of shortcoming. Yet, within the face of such uncertainty is also the unflinching embrace of the thrill that comes from the music. 

“CHROMAKOPIA” embodies it all: the failing, the falling, and the getting up again to do it better.