I still remember how my first high school heartbreak felt, and for those of you reading who had their hearts broken in high school, I’m sure you remember you too. One of the realizations that I remember vividly from my first heartbreak was suddenly becoming aware of how vulnerable and dependent I had become through love. Once that special person was gone, I felt alone, grief-stricken, and hopeless. I ultimately felt like I had lost a part of myself and couldn’t keep the tidal wave of emotions from spilling out. It’s these types of emotions that Tyler, the Creator perfectly encapsulates in “Igor”, his 2019 album about heartbreak.
This is Tyler’s most emotionally charged and expressive album he’s ever released. In this album he is not only loudly expressing himself lyrically but also vocally due to the increase of singing Tyler does in contrast to past albums. Although Tyler has expressed in the past his strong distaste for his own singing voice, saying that it “ruins songs”, his singing lends towards the albums most prominent musical themes. A few examples are soul and R&B, by which the entire album is unmistakably influenced by, most noticeably so in the tracks “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?” —which samples Al Green’s “Dream”— and “A BOY IS A GUN*”.
Tyler’s low-mixed vocals are also complimented by the abundant use of synths and solid drum beats that are ever present throughout the entirety of the album. Despite the increase in singing and losing a piece of himself through love, Tyler lets us know that he’s still very much the same Tyler we’ve known, at least sound wise. “PUPPET” and “WHAT’S GOOD” contain rap verses that consist of that iconic Tyler sound, but similar rap verses can be found sprinkled across the entire track list. However, what is also undeniably spread across the entire track listing, is the theme of loss and heartbreak.
The album tells the story of Tyler being caught in the middle of a heart wrenching love triangle. Tyler is in love with a man who is in love with his ex-girlfriend, resulting in Tyler’s love drifting further and further away from him. You can clearly hear Tyler processing this loss in every track, even going through multiple stages of grief.
The initial heartbreak and loss is communicated clearly at the beginning of the album, especially in “EARFQUAKE”. “EARFQUAKE” is one of the most emotional songs of the entire album and it’s clear to see when you first hear, “Riding around, your love is shakin’ me up and it’s making my heart break.” It even seems like he’s pleading his love to not leave when he woefully says, “Don’t leave, it’s my fault… ‘Cause when it all comes crashing down I’ll need you.”
But it’s later down the track list you see Tyler go through the stage of anger, specifically in “NEW MAGIC WAND”, one of the albums most aggressive songs. The song has a low, almost growling, synth in the background while Tyler entertains the thought of killing his beloved’s ex and his beloved if he doesn’t choose Tyler, “She’s gonna be dead, I got a magic wand. We can finally be together…Now pick a side, and if you don’t, I’ll pick you both.”
Bargaining and depression can be heard in songs like “PUPPET” and “GONE GONE/THANK YOU”, however, throughout each stage of grief, Tyler slowly begins to realize the toxicity brought on by holding onto this dying love. Recognizing his own obsessiveness and self-damage brought on by vulnerability and unhealthy dependence. He begins to realize how much this love is hurting him. He practically spells it out in “A BOY IS A GUN*”. “How come you the best to me? I know you the worst for me. Boy, you sweet as sugar, diabetic to the first degree.”
By the end of the album, Tyler is able to accept that his love is gone, and despite his pain he has to move on. This is quite literally stated in one of the last songs of the track list, appropriately titled, “I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE.” However, the closing song of the album shows how hard it is to really let go of someone.
“ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?” is the perfect song to end the album, leaving the album to end in a question. I find it to be a reference towards the frightening uncertainty we all must face when moving on from a heartbreak. It also shows how human Tyler is. Despite knowing the healthiest decision is to move on completely, he still can’t yet bring himself to fully break it off. In the last song of the album, he asks if he and his former lover can still be friends, yet the background vocals in one of the last lines betray his deeper feelings; “Are we still friends? (This can’t end).”
“Igor” is both a rollercoaster and tidal wave of emotion, masterfully portrayed and contained within 11 songs. Tyler gives everything he’s got both lyrically, vocally, musically, and emotionally in this album. It’s impossible to ignore Tyler’s creation as a work of expressive art and as an emotionally packed narrative. The only bad thing about Tyler, the Creator’s “Igor” and first loves is that they both eventually end.
The Beat @APU 