For artists as acclaimed, celebrated, and deified as Tyler, The Creator, it's practically impossible to take their work at face value. Despite the lightning-fast turnaround time between DON'T TAP THE GLASS' announcement and release, this surprise new album – and its simple presentation – garnered conspiracy theories and expectations as quickly as the Hawthorne native stacks oral sex odes on top of each other. Tyler came through with his expected explanation, and to no one's surprise, it's unapologetic. But most importantly, it reveals the mindset he's in these days: he feels on top of the world, and he knows his claim's solid.
As such, we got the shortest, sweetest, most blunt, and most smack-talking LP in his entire discography. The former Odd Future frontman wanted people to dance their summer nights away, and the catchy songwriting all over DON'T TAP THE GLASS makes for his most re-playable effort yet. Ten tracks cycle through many hip-hop, funk, soul, and dance inspirations while the bars rarely require more than a double take to catch the gist. How well does the album execute its vision? We'll try our best to answer, but a big asterisk is in order: I haven't experienced it on the dancefloor yet.
DON'T TAP THE GLASS' Production
Even without DON'T TAP THE GLASS’ branding and messaging, Tyler, The Creator makes his groovy mission clear. He handles all the production, and you can easily tell from the brash bass boiling beneath his Neptunes and N.E.R.D. worship and the bubbly menace on many synths. It's the album's standout quality, and takes little cues from hip-house, Miami bass, G-funk, synth funk, electro, dance pop... You get it. This vibrant soundscape flows well even with a shorter tracklist and more straightforward vibe, especially thanks to the percussion's volt, crunk, West Coast, and neo-soul influences keeping high energy.
Little details like the vocoder on "Sucka Free" and the relentless kicking on the synth odyssey "Sugar On My Tongue" also flesh out the main instrumentals and song structures with a lot of texture. While some vocal mixing decisions fall flat, the high-volume approach certainly translates boisterously when you agree to its terms. The key propulsive factor is how instrumental layers pop in and out. There's so much going on, but even overwhelmed listeners have a solid melody to latch onto throughout.
Of course, Tyler, The Creator makes his reverence for hip-hop clear via callbacks to classics and even his own work. For example, "I'll Take Care Of You" contains a euphoric re-use of the "CHERRY BOMB" drums, plus a hype inclusion of Killa C, Princess, and Lil Scrappy's verses on Crime Mob's "Knuck If You Buck." There's a Black Eyed Peas homage, a killer Busta Rhymes snip alongside Pharrell on "Big Poe," plus nods to Tommy Wright III, Too $hort, Kelis, and 12 Gauge. They all fit together very well on this celebration of '80s-2000s styles, whose variety and bombast never loses fire.
Tyler, The Creator On The Mic
One could easily say the same about Tyler's delivery in his DON'T TAP THE GLASS verses. He puts the L.A. accent on stronger than he ever has before, and it helps to illustrate the tributes to older MCs and producers. Sometimes, he takes a backseat to the beat, such as "Don't You Worry Baby" with Madison McFerrin. But Tyler, The Creator's personality never stops shining through, and his accessible rap flows always come with some cheeky or vivid punchlines and declarations. They don't always land out of the campy zone, but we expect nothing less than someone with so much to flex.
Also, the best melodic moments on here show off some solid vocal performances for his range. "Ring Ring Ring" goes down particularly smoothly thanks to how the soft singing compliments the airy and charming instrumental, although the head-bobbing roughness of the closer "Tell Me What It Is" works against the vocal treatment. The 34-year-old doesn't unlock a new skill here, but he primarily wants to show he's really that guy.
There And Back Again... And Again
Some lovelorn thoughts still find their way here, but it's mostly a confident and comfortable lyrical bag. But without a wider concept or theme here, what were once bright flashes of ego on previous Tyler, The Creator projects become sun-sized spotlights. While this can make DON'T TAP THE GLASS' content feel inconsequential, that missing throughline also keeps the focus on all the dancing you're supposed to be doing.
Once again, Tyler achieves his mission by returning to old ideas and making them fresher. The pop-rap-dance fusions on here are "I THINK" all the way, and the grittier, sandier treatment of CHERRY BOMB gives a sharp sting to the otherwise sugary production. In fact, it might be DON'T TAP THE GLASS' crowning direction. Elsewhere, despite "Don't Tap That Glass / Tweakin'" being one of his less impressive two-parters, it serves as an energetic final punch before the album closes on a more mellow note. In addition, the threatening encroachment of "Mommanem" into the busted-out hurricane of "Stop Playing With Me" makes for one of his best recent transitions. It all blends seamlessly, and with no room for filler.
Retreads & Revitalizations
However, the fact that Tyler, The Creator is connecting his own catalog's dots means his tried and true elements tire more than they have on previous records. When so much of his artistry revolves around bodies of work, this LP's nonchalant quality gives little context to his artistic north stars. So the influences feel heavier, and the stereotypes seem clearer. Still, this says nothing of the actual quality within, and says more about Tyler's place as a massive musician. While "listening to it for what it is" can be an easy copout, DON'T TAP THE GLASS is undeniably infectious and earns that respect thanks to its lack of pretense. The short runtime never overstays its welcome. Rather, it emphasizes the replay value more strongly than on any other album from The Creator.
Since DON'T TAP THE GLASS has been out for mere hours, we will soon see just how much Tyler, The Creator's groove-fueled vision resonates throughout the years. Its immediate and intoxicating atmosphere makes for a very enjoyable record, and the one closest to a singular foundation for Tyler to work from. He knows his trademarks better than anyone, and we doubt this will stagnate his creativity in any way. In spite of a nostalgic parade, T still proved his craftsmanship will always yield fruitful results.
