In 2011, as the head of Hip Hop collective Odd Future, Tyler, the Creator’s disturbing visuals and controversial lyrics launched him into viral fame. But with 2015’s Cherry Bomb, Tyler peeled off his Slim Shady-esque mask and got more vulnerable. This was further explored on 2017’s Flower Boy, a jazz rap album which had him opening up about his sexuality and garnering worldwide recognition. Its follow-up, IGOR, is the last step of this reinvention. Over the course of eleven, almost-perfect tracks, the Odd Future founder presents an enthralling, hazy meditation on the perils of intimacy and infatuation.
While Tyler’s previous albums were oozing with unfiltered creativity, IGOR is much more focused and builds a cohesive, linear narrative. The album starts off with “IGOR’S THEME,” a dreamy, synthy track featuring subtle performances from Lil Uzi Vert and Kali Uchis. Tyler invokes the feeling of wandering around a city in a car, gazing out the window as you become consumed by longing.
This carries over to “EARFQUAKE,” a gorgeous plea to a love interest. All of Tyler’s guests seamlessly mold themselves into the woozy textures of IGOR. “EARFQUAKE” has Dev Hynes and Charlie Wilson harmonizing on the chorus and Playboi Carti rapping over ethereal production. The track hits an emotional climax when Hynes, Wilson, and Tyler all join together to sing, “Don’t leave, it’s my fault.” There’s something poignant about Tyler’s tone-deaf, off-kilter performance. Through being transparent about the limits of his talents, his simple love letter lyrics are rendered more sincere.
As the album progresses, Tyler’s sentiments become increasingly desperate and unhinged. Often, he communicates this by upending traditional song structures. On “I THINK,” featuring Solange, he delivers a quick, spoken-word verse about his vulnerabilities. But suddenly, everything descends into a highly danceable funk song. Even as the theme of unrequited love is hammered in, and grooves and harmonies melt together, there’s nothing grating about IGOR. It presents a feast of stimuli: Frank Ocean gives an unrecognizable performance on “RUNNING OUT OF TIME,” “NEW MAGIC WAND” is a dreary masterpiece, and “A BOY IS A GUN” has Tyler revealing more intimate details about his love life.
“PUPPET” serves as the project’s emotional nucleus. Tyler recruits Kanye West for this enthralling pop song, managing to bring out Ye’s most sincere performance in a while. The song interpolates the 1966 James & Bobby Purify hit “I’m Your Puppet” and delves into the experience of being overly needy with lyrics like: “What do you need?/ Do you need bread? Do you need this?/ Do you need a hug? Do you need to be alone?” Ultimately, IGOR ends with heartbreak—album-closers “I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE” and “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?” capture the messiness of catharsis.
On IGOR, Tyler showcases a more polished iteration of the hazy pop he’s been perfecting for years. Though some might be disappointed that he’s becoming more of a singer than a rapper, this is the kind of project that should encourage more artists to disavow labels and relish in taking risks.
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Not for me at all and I thought he was all over the place.
Its called art not being all over the place
AOTY
This album gives me 808s & Heartbreak mixed with Graduation vibes. This is indeed a project that has the potential to elevate Tyler’s stardom. Great music and uniqueness too
Frankly, the best album this year so far
Which is saying absolutely nothing lol Been a sad year for hip hop so far.
Amazing as all hell. this is Tyler’s best album yet.
This album is so dope! The production and mix is on another level
Just a perfect album for hip hop in 2019. Tyler raised the bar big time.
Emotional roller coaster with prime Kanye level production. Tyler killed it.
Lmao? Emotional roller coaster LOL… Also what did Tyler kill? he didn’t do much at all on this..
Other than CREATE THE ALBUM lol
I think the beats were on point, but that’s about it. His vocals were boring and didnt keep the album going for me. Wish he rapped more. His singing stuff is boring for a whole album.
This is the best non rap album by a rapper since 808’s. Kind of a modern day Love Below. Certainly not as ground breaking but worthy of being mentioned in the same breath. Your favorite pop rapper doesn’t have the balls to take these kinds of risks. Bravo, Tyler.
No. We don’t approve
AOTY EASILY
Will never understand the appeal for this guy. Cudi neither. Just doesn’t sound like anything anyone would want to listen to. But that’s just me. To each his own.
okay i dont get the love for tyler either bro but Cudi is a Musical God no slander shall prosper
Do NOT bring Kid Cudi into this. We don’t play when it comes to Cudi. Still to the Tyler slander.
Not for me
I expected something else
Closed minded people who ONLY listen to hip-hop should not listen to this album. This is an ARTIST album not a rapper. You can not say this sound is done by anyone else right now. Super creative…beats on point…melodys amazing…storyline….lyrics are perfectly simple and catchy..its a breath of fresh air from million of copycat trap singers. How can ya hate tyler when every rapper u know now sings more the rap….damn near the whole rap game use auto tune and trap beats allllll the time. I remember when love albums and breakup albums like confessions and the love below n 808s n heartbreak would come out and change not only music but lives. I rather tyler do this then what schoolboy did on crash which is start doing what you think people wanna hear then what you want them to hear.
You seem to have a very limited perspective of current hip hop is. To say rappers in general aren’t artistic is insulting; if you’d like non auto tune, non trap beats hip hop, it’s really not hard to find and there’s tons of it. Just turn off the radio. Haven’t given this a listen yet but Tylers prior work has been impressive.
How can you critique somebody’s opinion when you have even listen to the album yourself
Hate the radio. I never listen because all of it sounds the same. Most people sing and do it the same way as the next lil dude or young blah blah. Most “rappers” out now who say they rap and are commercial has more singing on there albums now then rap. Pnb, aboogie, nba youngboy, lil yacthy, trippie redd, etc af…. And all these dudes mostly from diffrent places but have the same sound…thay shit didnt fly in the 90s or earlys 2000s….shit just mega watered down. This album igor is just fresh to hear in this climate. This shit shouldn’t even be a commercial album lol i think thats why u see people loving it off its diffrence alone and too have dope melodies and beats and theme is just an added bonus.
All the album is though is beats and meoldies… Not much rapping, there’s a bit of singing but that’s about it; singing over some cool beats & instrumentals.
I don’t understand how people can call it AOTY. It’s just not something I’d willingly sit down and listen to. If I wanted an album of instrumentals I’d download that… Sure, music is an art form so I get it.. It’s just not for me. If you want this then great. Overall just seems a bit pointless… Same issue I had with Cherry Bomb. Tyler should just be a producer since he seems to only want to make beats now apparently.
Literally he said its not a rap album or for people who listen to rap soley and first thing u say is its not much rapping. Lol ijs bruh its a good album with melodies beats and message….name another album thats commercial that has done this type of style since acid rap or even kanye 808s…there is great Rap out there and i love rap more then anything but i need other shit to listen to and this is def. OTHER music when u dont wanna hear RAP. this shit is epic to me i respect you not feeling it but i literally know most people who love rap from him wasnt gon like this if they didnt just go into this wanting to hear good sounds. Thats all bruh.
Great album
4/5
Tyler’s version of Love Below
It was ok. Most beats were good. Nothing crazy. It’s ok if a rapper has an album where he doesn’t rap, but when he does speak on it he should make that fire. I feel the parts where Tyler was vocalizing in any way were the worst parts, which is not good when it is your project.
We need a deluxe
Epic as always
I give up. Y’all buggin’ with this rating.
….. baffled. Soundcloud has better albums for free.
Brilliant
On another level
HARD!
I SEE THIS GETTING RAVE REVIEWS EVERYWHERE BUT THIS DOES NOT SOUND GOOD TO ME. I’M A VINYL COLLECTOR OF DIFFERENT GENRES SO I GET WHAT HE’S DOING. IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE BAD CROONING OVER N.E.R.D. STYLE PRODUCTION. I RESPECT THE ARTISTRY THOUGH AND I WON’T DROP A LOW SCORE. MAYBE IN THE RIGHT MOOD I CAN DIG THIS.
Yeah can really tell that you’re a music head with that in depth analysis. What N.E.R.D. songs/albums does this sound like?
I had the same feeling bout’ the sound of it. Reminds me of NERD’s “Seeing sounds” (which btw was much better production-wise).
5/5
Saying it’s art is only a weak excuse for wack music. It’s not art, cuz artists produce original and progressive music. And this one is just a soft synth pop imitation from the 80s trashbin.
Great album
4/5
nothin ordinary here. Tyler don’t repeat he resets.
3/5
The production on this is special he is really great at making a unique sound and this is really a refreshing album since everyone says all RAP SOUNDS THE SAME NOW..I thought he was going to be more of an Emcee tho..but in the right chill mode this is nice..
Tyler is an innovator. I feel like he doesn’t shy away from bringing that bump back into hip hop. Most importantly, he can make boom bap to trap which proves his range as an artist and producer; not to mention the ecclectic shifts from the Bastard album until now… Man, Tyler is truly a Creator…Keep up the great work! #IGOR
Tyler will smell a Grammy for 2020! Dope album of the year!
This album is full in synths not unlike the Original UK version of In Search Of. People keep saying this album sounds like NERD but I think it’s just because people want all music to be classified. This is highly irregular in all the best possible ways. You can see NERD/Pharrell influence BUT it does have its own unique sound. Big ups to Tyler he really has shifted his vision and matured. Production is outrageous like some EMO Beatnuts ish haha.
It’s in interesting release, I wouldn’t call this hiphop though. It’s more of an alternative or Electronic album. I do how like the fuse samples with the very simple single finger synth lines. works well.
How much did you get paid for this review?
i lost to it
This album was literally unplayable. It incoherent trash. People dick riding, thinking they sound eclectic when they say this is album of the year.