Why Chromakopia is the album of the year, but still doesn’t quite make the cut for me.

 Tyler, the Creator - Chromakopia

It’s Monday. Specifically, 11 a.m. Like so many others around the world, I’m eagerly waiting for Tyler, The Creator’s new project. Announced only a few weeks ago, I was pretty hyped for this album, even if the single "Noid" didn’t really grab me, and "St. Chroma" was only moderately appealing. But I've always had my issues with Tyler's projects. Flower Boyfelt really boring, especially in the first half on my first listen. Igor, on the other hand, dragged a bit towards the end. And even with Call Me If You Get Lost, I struggled to get into it at times. But one thing all three albums had in common was growth. The more I listened to individual tracks, or even the albums as a whole, the better they got. So here I am, waiting for the release, popping my headphones in, and starting my journey with Chromakopia.

Right from the album’s start, you can sense Tyler’s skill—this ability to create a unique atmosphere. And along with that, a sound that’s both distinctive and fitting. This is something he’s truly mastered, and he proves it once again here. St. Chroma is a strong intro that sets up the album well. The choral foundation with rhythmic marching is catchy, and it’s capped off with a gritty beat switch that smoothly leads into the next track. I’m not sure why I didn’t like it when it first dropped.

Because Rah Tah Tah is one of my highlights on this album—a beautifully raw beat that got stuck in my head right away. And Tyler raps here with a slightly more aggressive style, something I think he could definitely do more of.

One thing I found, well, interesting was the choice of features. They range from downright odd, like on Sticky (Glorilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne on the same track), to barely noticeable (Teezo Touchdown on Darling, I), to surprising (Doechii on Balloon). Let’s go through them in order. Sticky has already become a love-hate relationship for me. I kind of like it because it’s so grotesque and weird, but on the other hand, it’s so grotesque and weird that I can’t actually like it. Darling, I is hands down a top-three song on the album. A lovely exploration of Tyler, The Creator’s views on various topics. Teezo mostly does low-key work in the background of the hook. It’s subtle, but it really elevates the overall feel of the song. And Doechii on Balloon is the best feature on the album for me. If you don’t know her yet, you should pay attention. She released a great album this year, Alligator Bites Never Heal, and is now signed with pgLang. Great part from her and a really pleasant surprise. And with ScHoolboy Q, we even have the man behind my current Album of the Year featured here.

But there’s no shortage of storytelling on Chromakopia, either. The album dives deeply into Tyler’s relationship with his mother, especially in the second half, which even touches on his estranged father. Like Him focuses solely on his father—somewhat melancholic at times, but the outro is truly emotional. When it comes to storytelling, Take Your Mask Off is the one that resonates with me the most. Four parts, four characters, four stories—this is what I want to hear. Whether it’s a priest, a single mother, or Tyler himself, I’m hooked throughout. For me, that’s a huge part of music—telling engaging stories, backed by evocative beats. The album’s outro is solid too. What I liked was the way it loops back to the beginning. The album starts with the Chromakopia choir and some words from Tyler’s mother, and how does it end? With a few words from his mother and the start of the Chromakopia choir. It’s a small detail, but I appreciate that extra effort here.

Now, onto my issue with Chromakopia: in places, I simply don’t care. There’s no track that’s actually bad; each one is at least good. But that’s also part of the problem. Some songs just don’t really stand out. They’re decent enough to listen to and not catastrophically bad, but they lack something special. They can feel interchangeable. Unfortunately, this is a recurring theme with nearly every storytelling track on the album. Yes, I know I just said that the storytelling songs are really good, but I left out that they can still feel somewhat interchangeable and similar. That said, they’re never bad. Time will tell if I’ll still feel this way in a month, or if repeated listening will help change that sense of indifference. For now, though, it’s a small but noticeable black mark on the otherwise green canvas that Chromakopia is.

It’ll probably end up being the same phenomenon I’ve experienced with Tyler, The Creator’s other projects. It might take a few more listens before I can definitively call Chromakopia my Album of the Year. Because this work of art certainly has potential.

But the most important question remains unanswered: Where the hell is Frank Ocean?!