Tyla broke into the Western charts with the release of her Grammy-winning song "Water." The song sparked a viral dance trend on TikTok, in which many people replicated Tyla's choreography. The buzz from her debut on Western charts led many to anticipate her debut self-titled album.
The album's 14 tracks incorporate a fusion of R&B, pop and South African amapiano, creating the unique sound that Tyla is becoming known for.
The album
"Intro," gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the recording process. We hear what seems to be two men talking while Tyla sings in the background. We can assume it is meant to introduce her fans to the album's mellow sound.
The first official track, "Safer," comes in strong with a dynamic sound that shows off Tyla's mixture of African American and South African musical influences. The layered vocals create a beautiful emphasis on the chorus, grabbing the listener’s attention. The melody of the song is beautiful.
Arguably, the best songs on the album are "No. 1" featuring Tems, "Butterflies," "ART" and "Jump," featuring Gunna and Skillibeng. Each brings flavor and creativity to the album.
Tyla's voice adapts to whoever she has on a song, displaying her excellent collaborative skills. She matched the hip-hop sound of Gunna and Skilibeng, adding a soft and feminine vibe while also demonstrating the power of her vocal range.
She matched Tems' deep and buttery-smooth voice well. It creates a chill atmosphere for a song about declaring freedom from a relationship that exhausts you and causes you to compromise more than you should.
Travis Scott's inclusion in "Water (remix)" is a much welcome change to the song. However, his part is 49 seconds long, and it doesn't do much to enhance the already top-charting track. It is the only feature on the album that is a little bit lackluster.
The features give the album a sense of variation that many of the songs seem to lack, creating very different energies. They show Tyla's range, making it clear she could dabble in different genres and make incredible art.
However, many of Tyla's songs repeat the same tempo and pitch and use the same instruments and sounds.
Listening to the album all at once can be disorienting because it is very easy to miss the transition to the next song. The shorter length of the songs also does not help this, as two songs are the equivalent of a four-minute track.
An example of the repetitive beat can be heard in "Truth or Dare" and "Safer," as they have very similar vibes and song structures. The songs start slow, peak in energy, and maintain it until the end when it drops off lightly to conclude. That is very common, especially in pop. However, Tyla's lack of beat variation makes it hypervisible to her audience, adding to the repetitive feel.
Breaking up the album into parts makes it easier to hear every detail of the songs individually. Nonetheless, you can still hear the extremely apparent similarities in songs.
Tyla's music video game is still unmatched. Her music video for "ART" is beautiful. Her styling is amazing. Her hair is intricately braided in a beautiful pattern and her dress emphasizes her being "straight out of the gallery." She truly looks like a piece of art. The beautiful ballroom where she is posing for a mural, to her admirer from the window, to him searching through the halls for her, is well executed.
Tyla continues to make music videos that add a sense of surrealism to her music, making her songs come to life.
Is it worth a listen?
This was not a bad debut album. Individually, many of these songs feel like top-charters. Tyla showcases her versatility, demonstrating a promising future. It is an easy listen, but it can become boring in some parts, which can take away from the listening experience. However, some songs immediately grab the listener’s attention.
"Safer," "Truth or Dare," "No. 1," "Butterflies" and "Jump" all add flair to the album. While some may seem repetitive, they are still, without a doubt, great songs. Most have their own vibe, introducing a side of Tyla the public hadn't been able to see with the release of "Water."
There is truly something for everybody on this album.
Rating: 3.4/5
