In “Call Me If You Get Lost” (CMIYGL) Tyler, the Creator proves that he has come a long way from an ignorant horrorcore internet rapper. With each successive year of releases, Tyler, the Creator builds upon his creations, adding new elements and unveiling his musical abilities. With his latest album, released on June 25, Tyler delivers greater depth within his lyrics and increased instrumentation while staying true to his auteurship and paying homage to the rap records that inspired him.
After several months of what seemed like hibernation following the release, touring, and award shows that followed his last album, “Igor,” Tyler announced on June 16 that he would be releasing the new album via an Instagram post. Following the post, he continued to promote the release with billboards including a phone number that when called, led listeners to a pre-recorded conversation with his mom. Tyler also dropped several teaser videos and the only single on the album “Lumberjack.”
Tyler began his career, as many musicians today do, on the internet. Surrounded by an endless amount of information and inspirations, as a young rapper Tyler cranked out dark, transgressive anthems with lyrics that shocked listeners with their obscenity. Listening to CMIYGL, it is evident that Tyler has not completely disowned the reckless young rapper that he presented himself as on his early records such as “Goblin” and “Cherry Bomb”, as he continues to incorporate an obscure sense of humor in his lyrics.
On his earlier records such as “Goblin” and “Wolf,” many of the songs were built upon simple drum beats and grimy synth sounds with little variation in the instrumentation employed. In contrast, CMIYGL opens with “Sir Baudelaire” which off the bat delivers a greater range of instruments including wind instruments, specifically the flute, which is a musical motif that is carried throughout the album. The drum beats remain simple and rhythmic throughout, while Tyler also experiments with various percussive instruments such as hand drums, woodblocks and maracas in songs such as “Sweet/Thought You Wanted to Dance” which presents a sound that draws from other cultures, reflective of Tyler’s expanded world view that presents itself on the album.
Not only does Tyler draw on musical elements from different cultures, but he also blends various genres, creating a fluidity that is becoming progressively more common in popular music. The synth bass present in a majority of the songs blends funk and jazz styles, which creates a more dynamic sound, especially in conjunction with the various other rhythm instruments. The way that Tyler incorporates piano into the album is also experimentation with branching into different genres. The addition of the keys on songs such as “Safari” creates a more melodic sound by taking from classical and jazz elements. The increased instrumentation incorporated provides a fresh sound on the album that builds upon the simple rap tracks that Tyler started on.
Examining the vocals included, Tyler presents his rhymes with deep vocals encased in an authentic style and pace that flows with the beats and instrumentation of the songs while staying true to the signature elements of his music that are unique to his sound. While mainly rapping in a low register—creating a rough and raw sound that is characteristic of his music—Tyler also branches out to experiment with his vocals, singing in higher octaves with a focus on the breath to create a lighter feel as he does in the double track “Sweet/ Thought you Wanted to Dance.”
Lyrically, Tyler has come full circle as an artist, continuing to deliver humorous remarks within his songs while also expanding the personal narrative that he tells in his songs and discussing topics with a more worldly and mature view. In the track “Blessed,” he raps, “The only flaw is my fuckin’ hair won’t grow it’s been like two years and this shit lik? two inches,” displaying Tyler’s ability to continue to integrate comedy into his music while also displaying his maturity as an artist as many of the jokes are directed at himself in comparison with jokes that bordered on the offensive and ignorant side in his earlier songs.
Along with humor, the collaboration with other artists including Pharrell Williams, Lil Wayne, and Lil Uzi Vert, is central to the thematic elements present in the lyrics on CMIYGL as well as on his previous releases. Artists working on the album were able to present their own statements in the parts that they rap, adding to the amassment of themes that shine through on the album. Even with various perspectives present in the lyrics, there is a clear narrative strung through the album, as Tyler raps about his accomplishments and travels, his family, and even some societal topics such as his role as a successful artist in the public eye and the African American community.
Tyler harnesses a sense of depth within the lyrics on the album, seen in lines such as “Y’all want us dead, just ’cause the skin is the black type, teach me everything and be amazed I don’t act right,” in the song “Manifesto.” In the lyrics on the album alone, Tyler’s progression as an artist can be seen, which is to me, the most exciting part of interacting with musicians’ latest releases.
Much like his previous release, “Igor,” fans and critics have responded with various reviews due to the uniqueness of the music. As many fans either opted to love or hate the experimentation on “Igor,” even as critics continued to acclaim it, with CMIYGL there seems to be a growing appreciation for Tyler’s creativity as fans seem to be positively responding to the album on social media.
In everything from the vocals, lyrics, instrumentation and overall production of the album, “Call Me If You Get Lost” is exemplary of Tyler’s growth as an artist and how he is continually expanding his sound while still maintaining a sense of self and connection to his roots and listeners. If you have not already, listen to “Call Me If You Get Lost” available on Spotify and Apple Music.
