Hi all! The finale of No Skips, where we discuss an album with no skippable tracks, is here. As I’ve mentioned many times previously, this column idea began in April of last year from the former managing editor Raquel Montelindo. Her final No Skips article was about Weyes Blood’s “Titanic Rising” from 2019, one of the most lauded records of that year.
However, there’s one other album often touted as 2019’s cream of the crop: “IGOR” by Tyler, the Creator. Plenty of people were polarized by it at first, including DJ Khaled, whose record from the same week was beaten by “IGOR” in the Billboard charts. It was Tyler’s first No. 1 record despite consistently getting in the top five throughout his commercial career, though the praise and accolades were just beginning.
Flipping his largely rap-based style on its head, Tyler went balls to the wall on “IGOR,” and it paid off. The use of vocal filters allowed him to confidently sing on many tracks — a direction he wanted his music to take for years — and he pushed his production skills beyond their limits. Tyler made 2017’s “Flower Boy” seem tame in comparison, despite its flawlessness.
“IGOR’S THEME” features an unrecognizable Lil Uzi Vert along with Solange later on, who’s a bit more pronounced. There’s no lyrical substance; it’s straight vibes and functions as a warning for anyone doubting the quality of the tracks to come. “EARFQUAKE” has always been the most divisive song on “IGOR” for me, yet it’s the biggest hit. Playboi Carti and Charlie Wilson heavily elevate the song’s second half, with the latter establishing the record’s soul foundation.
“I THINK” begins to delve into the album’s narrative, which is about a convoluted love triangle. I won’t write paragraphs about that, but sonically, the crisp backing beat with crazy bass lightens during the chorus with Solange.
Even if Tyler used other talented singers as a crutch for reservations about his own singing at the time, the two match each other’s energy perfectly. And since “Cherry Bomb” just had its 10th anniversary, I’ll shout out the bridge and mention of the late Leon Ware as the cherries on top.
“BOYFRIEND” off the physical version is another amazing collaboration between Tyler and Charlie Wilson, but to keep chugging on, “RUNNING OUT OF TIME” is a tremendous leap for Tyler artistically. Moments of vulnerability are swept away a minute-and-a-half in by the dashing instrumental passage, only for him to get serious with his lover while still being witty, “Halloween ain’t for a minute, lose the costume.” While the first five tracks are exceptional and set the narrative’s exposition, the next five take things up a few notches.
“NEW MAGIC WAND” is unforgiving in every aspect, with a nasty bassline, maniacal laughing and Tyler’s declaration: “This 60-40 isn’t working / I want a hundred of your time, you’re mine.” He alternates between desperation and drastic measures to keep this person at bay, considering this “magic wand” is implied to be a gun. Following the ominous line “It’s not a joke, murder she wrote,” Tyler and the instrumental go off the rails for a minute, with the soaring synth conclusion being one of the album’s most euphoric moments.
“A BOY IS A GUN*” bolsters Tyler’s pen game and song structuring skills, slightly changing the chorus every time with a different piano line. Regardless of gun sounds or his disdain for his lover’s decisions, the instrumental is fundamentally classy, especially at the bridge. However, his situation is about to get sticky as Tyler realizes how dangerous this person is to his well-being.
“PUPPET” sees Tyler so obsessed with his lover that he questions his free will in the relationship and likens himself to their puppet. The duality of “I want your company, I need your company” complemented by Tyler’s manic delivery shows this relationship is growing unsustainable for both parties. Ye drops a quick quatrain and lingers onto the psychedelic outro to repeat “Breathe on a song.” There are a lot of moving parts, yet the next song is the most chaotic on the record.
“WHAT’S GOOD” is confrontational at its core, with muffled and egotistical vocals mixed low like they would’ve been on “Cherry Bomb.” To mention that album one more time, a familiar motif comes up with “Hard to believe in God when there ain’t no mirrors around,” a sentiment he once shared on the song “BUFFALO.”
The second half of “WHAT’S GOOD” is insane, with a remorseless bassline and slowthai’s repetition of “I see the light.” Tyler starts talking cars, a topic absent from the record thus far, yet quite prominent on “Flower Boy,” alluding to his third McLaren and crashing his Tesla in 2018. Therefore, Slowthai’s mantra is multifaceted; Tyler escaped death, but it can tie into the narrative because he realizes his relationship can’t last anymore, which he explores in the last three songs.
“GONE GONE / THANK YOU” has become my favorite “IGOR” cut over the years, as it’s the longest song by a long shot and acts as the album’s emotional climax. CeeLo Green — unrecognizable as he’s filtered up — sings the chorus, possibly because Tyler cannot accept that his previous obsession is ending. Talking in metaphors, he wishes his lover the best but doubts whether he’ll be able to pursue a relationship again. The end of “GONE GONE” is crushing, yet the “THANK YOU” section is somewhat uplifting.
The lo-fi “I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE” doesn’t offer anything new apart from its title and an incredible bridge with Solange, Charlie and Jessy Wilson, who somehow aren’t related. “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?” does massive justice to its Al Green sample and is where Tyler places his bi-annual Pharrell Williams contribution, a tradition no longer present on his albums. The song leaves the narrative on a bittersweet note and loops back right into “IGOR’S THEME.”
There you have it. I haven’t written about all of my favorite albums in this column, but I couldn’t leave this stone unturned. I’ve been a Tyler fan since 2016 and we never got an “IGOR” review when it first released, so better late than never.
As I wish people who were criticizing “IGOR” back in the day would do, keep an open mind in general, but especially with music. Sometimes, it takes a while to appreciate greatness and innovation. Pushing your palate will only do you good, so don’t stay complacent with your taste. I challenge you to listen to a new genre or album that’s outside your comfort zone, and to do the ice bucket challenge if you haven’t done it yet. Thanks for reading. Just like that, WE GONE!