Choosing to title this project ‘IGOR’ also marks a subtle return to his former self, relating back to the ghoulish ‘Bastard’ and ‘Goblin’. It is no less apt however because like the bedlamite seen in Young Frankenstein, Tyler has created something that is para-human; an alienating experience designed to unsettle with an army of voices. The way in which the many feature guests are presented is in such a way that they could all pass the listener by if they weren’t paying stringent attention. Everyone has some effect or distortion placed over them to convincingly incorporate them into the world of the album, as evidenced by the track “EARFQUAKE”. Peppy synths and a gliding piano sets the song in motion, transforming into a G-funk-flavoured breakdown with hits of resonant bass and heavily-arpeggiated electrodes. Playboi Carti comes through with his minimal, baby-voiced rapping for the second time this year on such an artful album - after Solange’s magnificently puzzling LP, ‘When I Get Home’ - further adding to his dexterity as an artist with a Woah Vicky reference to boot. He wonderfully caps off a pleading love song set to the tune of today’s hip-hop music that, in turn, pairs Tyler with the Igor character even more, since it seems that after beginning his career as far away from the topic as is conceivable, he has found love.

‘IGOR’ is a break-up album, with each song being a different stage in the falling-apart of a relationship. As the arc of unrequited love fires the torch that guides the record along, it is a fascinating, almost scientific insight into Tyler’s reaction to this newfound situation. Singing is his way of communicating with love, as seen on tracks like “See You Again” and “FUCKING YOUNG / PERFECT” from his catalogue, thus, on his most lovelorn album to date it makes stylistic sense for him to turn focus towards this way of expression. “RUNNING OUT OF TIME” is the point at which Tyler is drowning in his love for his interest, punctuated by the watery chromatic chords and claustrophobic buzzsaw bass. A flurry of vocal alterations join him in betwixt the percussion-heavy drums, with high pitching that makes his voice seem so small as Tyler sings about the desperation he feels. All soundtracked with a parallel musical backing, a running theme through the LP.

The fragmentation of his love is painted with rapid changes and unexpected shifts, similar to Solange’s aforementioned new record. She features as backing vocals on three tracks here (“I THINK”, “A BOY IS A GUN” and “I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE”), but her influence on the project goes far beyond. The snaking flow seen on ‘When I Get Home’ are also present on ‘IGOR’, as Tyler darts and turns to keep the listener alienated and in a state of reaction rather than prediction. Songs on here don’t end so much as they are interrupted by the next and many tracks feature instrumental switch-ups within them, such as the ego-driven rampage of “WHAT’S GOOD”. The vocals and bass that headline the first suite are tuned like King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man” and the composition itself is equally schizophrenic, bonding tense bell tones, saccharine synth flutters and a growling bass that gets to its most violent apex when the second suite comes in.

Sprawling maximalism fuels every facet of the album, every gap is filled with little ad libs or sonic details. This busyness results in multiple moments that simply stun, and is comparable to what went wrong with his widely-criticised album ‘Cherry Bomb’. Tyler still proudly stands by the album, but the release of ‘IGOR’ now shows what it could have been if enough attention was paid to the balance between experimentalism and accessibility. In this second swing of the bat he undoubtedly succeeds, producing near infallible moments like “NEW MAGIC WAND”. A maniacal laugh spells the track’s fate in the beginning surrounded by grimey bass, clanging bottles of percussion, and grainy drums that all exemplify the monstrous history behind the Igor character. As effectively chilling as the Jaws theme was in the mid-70s, Tyler’s shrill voice and accompanying keyboard can just about be heard over the tsunami of sound, calling into the ether about his jealousy over his love interest doing so well, subsequently transforming his intentions to murder. The last verse in particular is a true snap-back to the excessively violent thoughts of old-school Odd Future, delivering an album highlight through face-melting hardcore hip-hop that ends as tensely as it begins, with strained strings fading out and being cut off before being able to completely dissipate. Perhaps Tyler’s vicious side will never fade away.

The next edition of Tyler’s usual double-billed tenth track “GONE GONE / THANK YOU”, is a candy-flossed cool-down track that refresh the palate after the previous onslaught of meaty distortion that is “WHAT’S GOOD”. Decorated with gospel chorus vocals and proggy sound effects, Tyler reminisces on what love used to be, but now that it’s gone he is grateful for the experience that will stay with him. It allows him to calm down and let go, shown musically through the minor key change that feels like falling back down to Earth with descending vocal harmonies, all the while Tyler pens a machiavellian verse with great weather-based/real estate-based wordplay. Transitioning into the second act with intergalactic synth arpeggios (a la Daft Punk’s “Superheroes”), muddy jackhammer drums cut straight through the mix, while a prepubescent voice hangs in the back sings “thank you for the love / but I will never want to fall in love again”.