Fans show love for Tyler, The Creator's new dance album, 'Don't Tap the Glass'

USA Today

4 days ago

This album was not made for sitting still. Dancing, driving, running, any type of movement is recommended to maybe understand the spirit of it. Only at full volume," the artist wrote on Instagram.
Less than a year after releasing his chart-topping, "Chromakopia," Tyler, The Creator released his ninth studio album on Monday and he's encouraging folks to let loose while listening.
"Don't Tap the Glass" released early July 21 and features 10 songs produced and performed by Tyler, The Creator. The album's cover art features the artist with an unproportionally-sized head and limbs sporting red pants, a large gold chain, glasses and a red hat that reads, "GLASS."
"I asked some friends why they don't dance in public and some said because of the fear of being film," the rapper and producer shared in an Instagram post on Monday. "I thought, 'Damn, a natural form of expression and a certain connection they have with music is now a ghost.' It made me wonder how much of our human spirit got killed because of the fear of being a meme. All for having a good time."
Taking a one-night break from "Chromakopia: The World Tour," which continues through September, Tyler, The Creator held a listening party for the new album in Los Angeles on Sunday evening. In his Instagram post, the artist said during an evening with no phones, no camera, "just speakers and sweatbox," friends and fans were simply able to enjoy themselves.
"This album was not made for sitting still. Dancing, driving, running, any type of movement is recommended to maybe understand the spirit of it. Only at full volume," he concluded in the post.
'Don't Tap the Glass' track list
Here's a look at the track list for "Don't Tap the Glass':
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Watch 'Stop Playing with Me' music video
In conjunction with the album's release, Tyler, The Creator released a music video for the track, "Stop Playing with Me," which features Pusha T, Malice and LeBron James. Only three hours after its release, the video had more than 574,000 views on YouTube.
What are fans saying?
Largely, fans have been sharing their love for "Don't Tap the Glass."
"I've never smiled more than I have today," the top comment on the artist's Instagram post teasing the music video read, as of July 21.
TikTok user Tyson Jones pointed out that "Don't Tap the Glass" has a much different sound than the artist's previous album, "Chromakopia." The albums also vary in length, as "Don't Tap the Glass" runs front to back in less than 30 minutes and "Chromakopia" runs more than 50 minutes. Jones said the new album may be different than what Tyler, The Creator fans are used to, or were hoping of the artist's new album, but the dance-centric album is a fun listen.
"You can just tell, Tyler, The Creator was having a lot of fun making this and just wanted to drop it for his fans," Jones said in a video.
Brielle Ki, an editorial intern for advertising agency Hypebeast, described the new album as a raw, creative implusive from Tyler, The Creator, following a more structured "Chromakopia."
"Across all ten songs, "Don't Tap the Glass" resists definition. It doesn't aim to be cohesive or complete," Ki wrote in a Hypebeast blog post. "This album strays from genre while still feeling entirely like him – less a statement, more a glimpse into the raw mechanics of his creative process. Instead of searching for meaning, it feels like he's letting the music speak for what he doesn't want to explain."
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at [e-mail].