IGOR

## Covers

The main IGOR coverAn Alternate cover for IGOR
## Background And Recording

Work on the album began in 2017, with Tyler initially writing the song "Earfquake" for Canadian singer Justin Bieber and Barbadian singer Rihanna, who both turned down the song. The song "I Think" was recorded in Lake Como, Italy with the help of American singer Solange. Tyler wrote "Running Out of Time" while taking a break from a recording session with American rapper ASAP Ferg, feeling reassured after Kendrick Lamar told Tyler he appreciated his singing. Tyler produced the beat for "Gone, Gone" in 2013 while on tour for his second studio album *Wolf*, choosing to scrap the song from both *Cherry Bomb* and *Flower Boy* since he didn't feel it fit either of those albums.

In an interview with *Fantastic Man* for their Autumn and Winter 2018 issue, Tyler was asked if he had ever been in love, to which he replied: "I don't want to talk about that. Um, that's the next record." In October 2018, Tyler previewed the song "Running Out of Time" for an interview with *Fast Company*.

On April 26, 2019, a supplemental financial report from Sony revealed that a new album from Tyler was expected by the end of June. In early May 2019, Tyler released snippets for the tracks "Igor's Theme" and "What's Good". The album was first announced by Tyler through his social media accounts on May 6, 2019.

## Critical Reception

*Igor* was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 81, based on 18 reviews. Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.9 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.

Roisin O'Connor of *The Independent* gave a positive review, stating "The production here is superb. Tyler has never been one for traditional song structure, but on *IGOR* he's like the Minotaur luring you through a maze that twists and turns around seemingly impossible corners, drawing you into the thrilling unknown. ... This is Tyler's best work to date". Andy Kellman of AllMusic said, "Tyler and a motorcade's worth of supporting vocalists fulfill the promise and threat with what plays out, a creatively vital and emotionally heartsick set with as much pain, vulnerability, and compulsion as a classic soul LP". Danial Spielberger of *HipHopDX* saying "On *IGOR*, Tyler showcases a more polished iteration of the hazy pop he's been perfecting for years. Though some might be disappointed that he's becoming more of a singer than a rapper, this is the kind of project that should encourage more artists to disavow labels and relish in taking risks". *Rolling Stone* critic Danny Schwartz said, "*Igor* is a heartfelt album that finds Tyler lowering his guard and revealing himself to be a shape-shifting artist who is still growing, and who has fully shed his skin as a vulgar internet cowboy". Sam Moore of *NME* stated: "*IGOR* is an accomplished and evergreen record that's well worth putting your phone down, turning the TV off and devoting your full attention span to." *Clash*'s Nick Rosebade wrote, "The trademark visceral beats, scathing lyrics and the general feeling of anger and aggression that peppered his previous albums have been replaced with slower beats and irresistible soul hooks. At first this change in tone, and pace, is jarring and you are waiting for it to kick off, but as the album progresses you get into it and dig this new Tyler".

Reviewing the album for Sputnikmusic, Rowan5215 stated: "*IGOR* is not by any means Tyler's best work, and at times deliberately plays against his strengths in order to keep the listener off-guard—this pays dividends in the stunning "I THINK" and "A BOY IS A GUN", less so on the repetitive and cloying "RUNNING OUT OF TIME" and "ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?". What it is, though, is a form of ragged beat-tape minimalist that Tyler wears extremely well." In a mixed review, *The Guardian*'s Dean Van Nguyen stated: "It's no bad thing that *Igor* downplays Tyler's indomitable personality – but the writing and execution do not quite replace what has been lost. What's left is a fine showcase of ingenuity that too rarely burrows very far into your consciousness."