“Chromakopia,” Tyler, the Creator’s eighth complete studio album, has been highly anticipated since he released a teaser of the music video for “St. Chroma,” on October 16th, 2024, and did not disappoint. Released on October 28th, 2024, this hip-hop/r&b album consists of 14 tracks, including what Billboard calls his most popular from the album, “Darling, I.” “Chromakopia” is very diverse in melodies and lyrics, ranging from singing about how his father’s absence has impacted his life to rapping with Sexxy Red and Glorilla. Tyler has a very distinct style of music that is still shown in “Chromakopia,” but fans have noticed that it has a slightly different vibe than his other albums. For example, the album’s cover is more somber and displays much darker colors, unlike all of his other covers which mostly display vibrant and cheery colors. Another difference worth mentioning is that all of Tyler’s albums have been released in either spring or summer and “Chromakopia” was announced and released in the fall.
Tyler’s album is good for any occasion or mood that might call for music. For a more upbeat vibe, some might choose “Ballon” or “Sticky.” For a calmer sense, “Like Him” and “Judge Judy” are great options. This album is amazingly versatile, considering how enjoyable it is to listen to on a surface level, but genuinely listening to the lyrics and understanding the meaning of the songs can be an outlet for some people who relate to his stories and experiences involving family issues and worries about the future. “Chromakopia” is moving and inspiring, and conveys feelings of sadness while also getting listeners hyped.
Tyler has stated in many interviews that he is most influenced by Pharell Williams, who he is good friends with and has made several songs with, and Chad Hugo who Tyler has sampled songs from and claims that he got Tyler into music.
I give this album a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. It is extremely versatile and truly speaks to many different types of people from many different backgrounds. Even if some listeners don’t relate to the topics in the album, musically, “Chromakopia” is a mix of upbeat and slow songs for every occasion.
