“Chromakopia” is the seventh studio release album from artist Tyler, The Creator, and was released on October 28 after being announced on October 16.

Reception towards the album upon its release was mixed to say the least. Some people praised the experimental nature of the album and the ambition of the project, while others felt that it left a bit more to be desired from such a talented artist.

“It’s definitely different compared to his other stuff, “said Alexander Ivanisevic. “It took a little bit for me to get used to it.”

In my opinion, the album was a success and did what Tyler strives to do in all of his musical ambitions: to make something undeniably unique.

The production of the album was mainly handled by Tyler himself, acting as executive producer of all 14 tracks. The range created in the 53 minutes that the album runs for is impressive to say the least. The aggressive, nearly militant style of production present in tracks such as “St. Chroma” and “Thought I Was Dead” is meant to fit into the sort of energy that Tyler commands over the album, a strong and unwavering conductor. Tyler also makes use of similar synthesizer tones like he did on his 2019 release “Igor“. Tracks such as “Noid” and “Balloon” are an exercise in Tyler’s ability to produce in an alternative style, not conforming to any sort of R&B or Rap style. Emotional tracks such as “Hey Jane” and “Like Him” slow things down a bit, which juxtaposed to the tracks that surround them show a change in the tone of the album.

Features on the album are used sparingly, but to some great effect. Daniel Caesar lends his smooth and choir-like vocals to the chorus on “St. Chroma”. The lineup assembled for “Sticky” contributes to the great energy and entertainment value of the track. ScHoolboy Q’s short verse on “Thought I Was Dead” was a talking point for fans of Tyler and ScHoolboy Q.

“My favorite track would definitely have to be ‘Thought I Was Dead'” said Ivanisevic. “On the first listen it was instantly my favorite as it has that super funny vibe of… something like ‘Deathcamp’ or ‘Corso’.”

Story-telling through his songs has been a constant in projects by Tyler, and “Chromakopia” is no exception. In “Hey Jane”, Tyler tells a story about an accidental pregnancy through the lenses of both the man and the woman, drawing upon his experience with his mom having raised him on her own, and the sort of emotional significance that such a dramatic situation can have on both parties. “Like Him” is likely the most impactful song on the entire album. Throughout the track, Tyler reflects on his mother telling him that he resembles the father that he’s never met before, and grapples with his confusion on whether or not he feels anything for him. In the end, a spoken piece from Tyler’s mother, Bonita Smith, reveals that Tyler’s father was never meant to be absent, and wanted to be in his life. She ends the track by telling him his father was a good man, and he shouldn’t hate him for not being there.

In short, Tyler set the bar for himself incredibly high on this project, and managed to deliver a deeply emotional and experimental album that was a refreshing return for the artist. In my books, 2024’s “Chromakopia” earns itself a solid 9/10.