A Never Ending Feeling; IGOR | Teen Ink

A Never Ending Feeling; IGOR

November 21, 2023
By 5andersen BRONZE, Hartland, Wisconsin
5andersen BRONZE, Hartland, Wisconsin
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Taking some of the beautiful sounds found on Flower Boy and Wolf, the funk sound found in Cherry Bomb, and some of the dark moments on Goblin, Igor is everything Tyler has created; His magnum opus. 

Tyler the Creator's 5th studio album, Igor, sets the stage from the first second of the intro track, “IGOR’S THEME” which lets listeners know that this will not be like his previous albums with the immediate eruption of heavy synths. 

The theme of a toxic relationship is set within the first few songs “EARFQUKE” and “I THINK” that is further expressed in the entire album. Though Tyler is known for more of his rapping and dark songs, this album varies in many different forms of music. While his distinct form of making music is still there it may not click with everyone on the first listen due to how it doesn’t sound like the songs you'd hear on the radio. If you pay attention to the lyrics of the songs you'll start to relate to the songs making them feel more personal if Tyler doesn’t sell you with his vocals then the features of Kanye West, Playboy Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, and even Solange will.

The album is split into two different halves. The first half includes the songs “IGOR’S THEME” through “PUPPET” where he expresses his feelings about how his relationship shouldn’t end and tries to save it. “EARFQUKE” which includes Playboy Carti, is a perfect example of this as Tyler’s main chorus is, “Don’t leave it's my fault”. The lyrics, “I've been runnin' out of spells to make you love me” from “RUNNING OUT OF TIME” and the repeating of, “Please don’t leave me” in “NEW MAGIC WAND” state that he would do anything to get this person back. The use of synths really helps this album a lot because it gives it this unique sound that isn’t found anywhere else, especially with how well it sounds mixed with the instruments and vocals.

The second half starts with “PUPPET” which includes Kanye West where Tyler releases that he toxically thrives off the company of his significant other as he raps, “I Need your company, I can’t maneuver without you”, “You’re parasitic, I do not have self-control, I’m starting to wonder, Is this my free will or yours?” and finally “I’m your puppet you control me”. Later in the tracklist a song called “I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE” plays where Tyler states that he doesn’t love this person anymore and thinks it would be better if they never see each other again. Tyler's second half is more angry and releasing, which creates this idea of not wanting to see them physically but mentally wanting them even more now that they are gone. These songs are mixed with heavy synths to show us with sound how he's feeling in these songs.

The finale of this album “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS”, is one of Tyler’s greatest pieces with how it sounds throughout the entire song with lower pitch synths mixed with vocals and instruments. Furthermore; after all of the character progression, Tyler shows with his lyrics, he goes back on it all with the simple idea of being friends that almost everyone has experienced once, “Are we still friends, Can we be friends?” and “Don’t say ‘goodbye’ smell you later”. 

The ending makes this album even more meaningful, which plays off in a synth that sounds like it never truly ends until you realize it's an infinite loop back to the first song—just like his relationship. This is why so many people relate to this because everyone has that one person they feel like this towards. Instrumental wise this is a masterpiece the use of synths mixed with guitars, pianos, and drums. This album is a perfect example of relaxation found in chaos.



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