Album Review: Tyler, the Creator // CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST

Columbia Records

4 stars out of 5

Once a horrorcore superstar and now a Grammy-winning pop chameleon, Tyler the Creator has consistently released new music every two years since 2009. So while it was a pleasant surprise when Tyler announced CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, the real surprise came when listeners heard the direction he took. After 2019's genre-bending IGOR, fans wondered if Tyler even wanted to rap again. I'm pleased to report that on CMIYGL, Tyler doesn't just rap; he brings some of his best bars yet. CMIYGL can be best described as an amalgamation of Tyler's career to date. Kaleidoscopic in scope, it feels like his Life of Pablo, a rap-heavy project with the occasional R&B or pop cut like "WUSYANAME," and mixtape-esque sequencing complete with DJ Drama drops, likening it to the Gangsta Grillz mixtapes of the late 2000s. The album bounces between jazzy instrumentals and bass-heavy bangers; in this sense, it's closest to 2014's divisive CHERRY BOMB with the clarity of the work that came after. On the album's centerpiece, "MANIFESTO," Tyler reunites with Odd Future member Domo Genesis to rap about his past aggressions, current platform, and place in the current socio-political climate. If that isn't growth, I don't know what is.