Igor, the 2019 Grammy-winning rap album by Tyler, The Creator, is a conceptual masterpiece and Tyler’s fifth studio album.
This year, it celebrates its five-year anniversary, and it still holds up to the status it gained upon release; if anything, it has aged even better. With the release of his new album, Chromakopia, we’re taking a look back at some of his past projects and wondering how the new one will compare and add to Tyler’s catalog.
Today, we will be reviewing the official vinyl for Igor and its significance in not only rap but the music industry as a whole.
The vinyl includes a “hidden” track titled “BOYFRIEND,” which is exclusive to physical copies. This beautiful song features Charlie Wilson and Santigold, fits perfectly into the narrative of Igor, which revolves around an obsessed character (Tyler) in love with someone who is infatuated with a girl.
Love triangles are a recurring theme in Tyler’s previous and future works. His musical style often embraces a retro or classic feel, frequently incorporating a crackling sound reminiscent of dust on a spinning record. Tyler advocates for traditional music practices, such as releasing music during the week instead of the increasingly popular “New Music Fridays.”
The album is relatively short, as it’s a single disc vinyl. Featured on Side A are “IGOR’S THEME” through “NEW MAGIC WAND,” and on Side B, “A BOY IS A GUN*” leads into the hectic final track, “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?” The best thing about having a physical copy of Igor is that it feels so much more real; each synth hits harder, and the vocals are clearer. You really feel the music, and for fans, it’s one of the best purchases to make as a Tyler fan. As they say, you don’t truly own an album until you have it on vinyl.
In terms of quality, it doesn’t get much better, both as an album and as a physical record. With the bonus of the secret track and the concept of owning your own record, Igor is one of the best vinyls released in the last 10 years.
The album as a whole has zero skips and is truly one of the best put-together albums of all time. It’s a perfect album, and listening to it on vinyl offers a somewhat unreal experience, as it allows you to experience music in its most basic and physical form through a record.
It doesn’t get much better than this, and I’d be more than happy to give the vinyl a 10/10 rating—a perfect piece of art.
TRACK BY TRACK REVIEW:
Starting with “IGOR’S THEME,” a perfect tone setter featuring vocals from Lil Uzi Vert and Tyler’s own. It’s a repetitive track with few lyrics and deep synths.
Following that is the big hit off the album, “EARFQUAKE,” featuring Playboi Carti, and his introduction to his “baby” style vocals. It begins the story of Igor as he introduces himself and his love interest, highlighting Igor’s obsession with him.
Next comes “I THINK,” a somewhat throwback track to ’70s dance music, with the iconic flute bridge section.
Then arrives the hidden track, “BOYFRIEND,” featuring Charlie Wilson. This song boasts beautiful piano instrumentals and feels almost like a two-part song with a chill intro and outro, contrasted by an intense middle section where Tyler expresses his real obsession with wanting to be with this person.
After that is “RUNNING OUT OF TIME,” where Igor realises that his love interest has another love interest—a girl who is also the love interest’s ex. With wavy synths that feel like they’re swirling around you, this track becomes one of the most outstanding of the bunch.
Next is “NEW MAGIC WAND,” by far the most intricate and hard-hitting song in Tyler’s catalog. Igor realises that to win over his love interest, he might have to eliminate the girl with his “magic wand”—a metaphor for a gun. The beat is layered, and multiple vocal layers make this one of the most intense and enjoyable songs on the album.
On Side B of the album, not only are you flipping over the record, but Igor is also changing his mind and realising that this obsession isn’t good. On track “A BOY IS A GUN*,” he acknowledges how dangerous this love interest is for himself. Featuring one of Tyler’s best samples from the song “Bound” (also sampled by Kanye on the track “Bound 2”), this track is another major highlight on the album and is one of the catchiest and best-presented songs.
After that comes “PUPPET,” featuring a verse from Kanye West. This is really Igor’s lowest point on the album as a character, as it showcases the control this love interest has over Igor and how he would do anything for him. Kanye’s verse, while subtle, fits perfectly into the track.
Up next is “WHAT’S GOOD,” an undeniable banger often overshadowed by “NEW MAGIC WAND.” However, it remains an extremely high-quality track with a throwback tone reminiscent of his earlier Goblin era work, featuring intense synths and loud, in-your-face rapping.
The double track “GONE GONE/THANK YOU,” which is my personal favourite off this record and generally my favourite Tyler, The Creator song, sees Igor facing the reality that his love interest is truly gone, but he thanks him for everything they experienced together. It features some of his best production on “GONE GONE” and hard-hitting lyrics on “THANK YOU,” coming together to create a masterpiece in its own right.
“I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE” showcases Igor gaining his independence from his obsession, realising that he doesn’t need him. You can truly hear the rage in Igor’s voice, with his almost screechy vocals complemented by harmonic backing vocals throughout the song, creating a surreal effect for this underrated and solid track.
The final song on the record, “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS,” features the best production on the album, from the synths to the wavy, neo-soul instrumental section in the middle of the track. This track reveals Igor’s realisation that the best way to maintain a relationship with this character in his life is to simply be friends.
Overall, Igor not only showcases Tyler’s artistic evolution but also solidifies his place as a visionary in contemporary music, making this vinyl a must-have for any serious collector.
