In a month full of music headlines (Bobby Shmurda released from prison, Daft Punk retiring, etc.), there was a surprisingly scarce number of show-stopping albums dropped. While Julien Baker’s Little Oblivions is worth checking out, I personally enjoyed Slowthai’s TYRON more for its juxtaposition of bombastic attitude and humbled self-reflection. It’s no secret that Slowthai is outspoken and has a somewhat difficult personality for some to handle. Facing media backlash for his antics – drunkenly making misogynistic comments and getting into an altercation with a fan at NME’s award show a prime example – the UK rapper has a controversial image. However, Slowthai’s 2019 debut Nothing Great About Britain was an off-kilter grime and punk-influenced political statement that gained him instant critical acclaim. Turning away from larger world issues, TYRON sees Slowthai analyzing his own character in a polar album that captures his character.
TYRON is split into two 7-track parts. The first has song titles written in all capital letters and features Slowthai’s typical loud energy. The second (all titled lowercase) is much more subdued and features a softer sound palette. The opening track of part one’s “45 SMOKE” starts the album with a somewhat familiar off-the-wall beat that relies on a distorted vocal sample and off-tempo grimey high hats. Slowthai brings his expected angry and sporadic energy with unique flows and vocal inflections. Many of the other tracks on part one also bring this dark and maniacal energy; like the haunting bells on “CANCELLED” and the dark piano loop on “DEAD”. The two exceptions to this are the fun buzzing synths on “MAZZA” and the change of mood brought on by part one’s closer “PLAY WITH FIRE”. The distant and distorted lead synths on “PLAY WITH FIRE” serve as a great transition to part two.
The second part of this album is pretty much production highlight after highlight. Whether admiring the Kanye-esque soul sample on “i tried,” the warm acoustic guitar on “push,” or the percussive rhythm of “feel away,” the entirety of the second part of this album is sonically beautiful. This illuminates my one complaint with this album. In my opinion, the second half of the album is significantly better than the first half. While the first half is not bad by any means (I love jamming to “MAZZA” in the car), it has some weaker tracks, whereas part two does not have any.
Lyrically, this album is also split in half. While the first half features Slowthai being aggressive and unapologetic for his behavior, the second half displays an introspective analysis of his life. In part one, Slowthai is materialistic and arrogant: like on “CANCELLED” where he scoffs at award shows and displays his newfound wealth. In contrast, on the song “terms” Slowthai describes “Never went to uni’ street educated/ Never lose sleep, slaughter the sheep. . . Tryna pick a rose but it’s got thorns/They be judgin’ me like I got horns”. Coming from a harsh background, Slowthai was raised to be rough and jagged which results in public backlash. Also on “push,” Slowthai confesses “See me, I’m erratic on drugs/Do stuff I regret, feel embarrassed tomorrow” and “System laggin’, think we need a reboot/Feelin’ stranded, got me feelin’ feeble”. These lyrics express the loneliness and excess that comes with fame and make for compelling and revealing moments. These moments bring me back to my issue with this album. The songs on part two are so impressive that they make the first half of the album seem lesser. However, both parts are entertaining.
The Verdict: For its polarized nature, dark and beautiful production, and Slowthai’s energy paired with confessionalism, I believe that TYRON is February 2021’s Album of the Month.
