The deluxe edition cover for Tyler, the Creator’s new album, Wolf

No one can deny that Tyler, the Creator has charisma.

The verses on his latest release, Wolf, are packed with personal emotion even when they are clearly made up stories.

I had Goblin, his second album and the follow up to his self-released breakout Bastard, on heavy rotation when it first came out. The more I listened to it, though, the less I liked it.

There were aspects of it that felt incredibly forced, like it wasn’t the album Tyler wanted to make, but he felt obligated to because of the subject matter and fan base he got from Bastard.

Goblin didn’t have the same “I’ve never heard anything like this” vibe that Bastard had or the raw teenage angst he burst onto the scene with.

It’s clear Wolf is exactly the album Tyler wanted to make, but many people are going to hate it. They are going to hate how self-involved he is, how he can’t break away from his discomfort with his fans and with sexuality, regarding both himself and those around him. Many will want him to abandon his honesty because they don’t want to hear it – it’s too frustrating.

Tyler has always exposed his raw emotions in his music and he is not shying away from them now. Wolf is a look into Tyler, the Creator’s mind. He is angry and frustrated, but he yearns to break free and enjoy life.

Tyler seems depressed, like he can’t enjoy the finer things his celebrity allows him to access no matter how badly he wants to. He is an adult now, but he is having issues embracing that.

The whole album contains an interesting contradiction with his depression, and his more childish summertime singles exemplify this theme. Although the beats are strikingly original and perfect for the season, they are topped with disturbing lyrics from a 22-year-old struggling to find freedom.

All Tyler can see is the attention and hate that surrounds him, and how his success hasn’t improved much in his life outside of his cash flow.

One of Wolf’s most deeply uncomfortable and riveting moments comes on the second single, “IFHY.” It is all about Tyler’s desperate infatuation with a nondescript girl: “I love you so much that my heart stops beating when you’re leaving/ And I’m grieving and my heart starts bleeding/ Life without you has no goddamn meaning.”

The anger and desperation in the song is so grand that it nearly made me sweat. It is a striking balance that Tyler finds again and again: overloading the listeners’ senses with raw emotions without pushing them away. It’s like watching a horrific accident; looking away is impossible.

Of course, the album is far from perfect. There is always a joke songs on Tyler’s albums, and Wolf is no different. “Trashwang” isn’t quite as fun as Tyler’s previous joke tracks, “Tina” and “Bitch Suck Dick.” It’s too crowded with guest spots to be an effective light rap song in the style of Waka Flock Flame or Lil B.

With an unprecedented amount of honesty, Wolf is something you can’t find anywhere else in hip hop. Tyler’s personality makes up for the occasional lyrical misstep. Even with lazy rhymes like, “They bandwagon jumped me from a pogo/ I’m going fucking loco.” Tyler’s new album is a complex and confusing piece that could only be delivered from him.

Wolf almost hits with the same impact that Bastard did, but only if you free yourself from the rigid expectations that are clearly frustrating Tyler. What you’ll find is a truly unique production that is out of this world.

An hour inside Tyler, the Creator’s head is an intense and frightening experience, but it’s a trip you should definitely take.

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Photo: Supplied