7/10

Ever since introducing himself to the world with his mind-bending debut album 'Goblin' back in 2011, Tyler, The Creator has always looked to pitch himself as a chameleon of the hip-hop world. Experimenting with the idea of multiple personalities on his first full-length, the rapper has gone on to give each of his follow-up releases their own identity. And if his last record 'Cherry Bomb' was his aggressive / excitative side, this LP is most definitely the softer part of Tyler.

Bringing in his usual crew of collaborators that include Frank Ocean, A$AP Rocky and even Jaden Smith, 'Flower Boy' gives us a more stripped back vibe that likes to play the juxtaposition to Tyler's own voice and lyrically content. While his baritone voice is pretty much a trademark by now, the MC doesn't really like to adapt his flow to suite the more laid-back rhythms on this release, giving us a Tyler record that no-one would really expect.

Similar to what Kanye West did on 'The Life Of Pablo', 'Flower Boy' is more of a compilation piece of collaborations. Tyler's name may be on the album cover but he is sometimes rarely on the release, giving more exposure to his production and back-up support. The result ends up a mixed bag of ideas that you will either love or hate. True fans of his may not see the wave of thought behind its direction, but there is still plenty to enjoy on here.