In many ways, Tyler, The Creator has come so far as an artist, without actually going anywhere at all. Perhaps the best example of this artistic dichotomy is the presence of his newest masterpiece record CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST.

The LA rapper is back with his sixth studio album, continuing his consistent musical output of dropping new projects every odd year. Spanning 16 tracks and 52 minutes, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST is one of Tyler’s longer projects. While the project is longer and features no central narrative, Tyler keeps the listener captivated with near flawless production, intriguing flows, bombastic bars regarding traveling the world, and unexpected featured artists.

From the opening seconds of the intro track “SIR BAUDELAIRE,” Tyler is taking a major pivot from the artistic direction he pursued with IGOR. Scrapping the lo-fi, synth jazz, neo-soul littered production that defined his last project, Tyler uses “SIR BAUDELAIRE” to ensure the listener understands that CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST is heading back to Tyler’s roots. Co-written by Westside Gunn and produced by Conductor Williams, Tyler clearly wants to prove himself as a bonafide rapper, which he does successfully here and across the record.

Along with the opening track, the first three on CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST reinforce the idea that Tyler is locked in as a rapper for the duration of the project. From the hard baselines of “CORSO” and “LUMBERJACK,” to visceral head nodders “MASSA” and “MANIFESTO” featuring Odd Future standout Domo Genesis, many of the soundscapes favored by Tyler harken back to the early days of his sonic progression that appear on Wolf, and even Goblin.

While Tyler makes sure to remind us that he is one of the quintessential rappers in the game currently, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST still features melodic, neo-soul strokes that keep newer fans of Tyler’s music satiated. “RISE!” is a clear highlight of the record, with Tyler taking subliminal shots at A$AP NAST while flowing flawlessly behind a hook aided by DAISY WORLD. “WUSYANAME” is a harmonious love song pushed along by beautiful background vocals from Ty Dolla $ign and a gorgeous feature by NBA Youngboy. But the clear centerpiece of CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST comes from the tenth track, “SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE.” Tyler again favors the sounds that characterized portions of IGOR and Flower Boy, flexing his singing voice while serenading a lover. Tyler recruits the help of the angel-voiced Brent Faiyaz for “SWEET,” who completely steals the limelight with a verse and vocals that simply melt in your ears. The track only gets better when it transitions to “I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE.” The song emits the same energy as the title, with reggae and samba production that makes for one of the best songs released this year. Fana Hues turns in a stunning feature on this track as well, fitting the sonic vision of the track entirely.

There is an endless amount of things to praise CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST about. From DJ Drama’s valuable contributions on various tracks to the eight-minute catharsis that is “WILSHIRE,” this project is unquestionably flawless. CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST is a summation of everything Tyler does well musically. He revisits and refines the edgy, rap-heavy days of his early career and the Wolf era while building on the ingenious innovation he’s displayed with Flower Boy and IGOR. CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST checks all the boxes, it’s by far and away the best album that has dropped this year and debatably the best work he’s released.

Favorite Tracks

SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE (feat. Brent Faiyaz & Fana Hues)

RISE! (feat. DAISY WORLD)

HOT WIND BLOWS (feat. Lil Wayne)

Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow us on Instagram to stay up on the hottest new music: