TYRON

slowthai - TYRON
Critic Score
Based on 35 reviews
2021 Ratings: #336 / 753
User Score
2021 Rank: #248
Liked by 351 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

100
The Irish Times
In a two-part album divided between celebrity persona and personal reflection, Slowthai brandishes his ego on the grime-laced, antagonising first half, but part two takes a melodic turn in showing the cause and effect of his own mistakes.
100
NME

Largely written in the solitude of lockdown, the Northampton rapper's second album sees him reckon with childhood, adulthood, shame, defiance and regret.

90
Still Listening

TYRON is an album that attempts to get to the guts of Slowthai as an individual. The person that we think he is versus the person he wishes to be. It’s a tale of two halves.

90
Clash
It’s a multi-faceted and mature second album from an artist that a lot of people wrongly assumed could only work in one narrow lane.
83
Consequence of Sound

On TYRON, slowthai doesn’t make grand statements or platitudes like a politician. He simply offers his own story of perseverance, hand extended and Mona Lisa smile brimming.

80
AllMusic

While slowthai has always been praised for his honesty, he reveals more of himself on Tyron than before, and it's equally as compelling as the sharp social commentary of his debut.

80
Beats Per Minute
Even with this more personal approach, slowthai truly embodies the idea that punk is not dead.
80
The Observer

This otherwise excellent album is let down by excessive solipsism.

80
DIY

At once the pugnacious punk-rapper with a point to prove and the quieter, introspective wordsmith-at-work, slowthai has done a remarkably efficient job of reclaiming his own narrative, demonstrating the value of both talking and listening.

80
The Needle Drop

Though Tyron's introspective side slightly outshines the bangers, it's a powerful journey overall.

80
Evening Standard
There’s a lot to take in, and numerous reasons to forget about writing him off.
80
PopMatters
He has responded to the global pandemic with an album that not only acknowledges but revels in the complexity and, yes, the ugliness of human relationships. But in response, he's made some beautiful music.
80
Exclaim!

On TYRON, slowthai sounds more together and present than ever.

80
Dork
Slowthai’s second chapter is at the very least a page-turner.
80
Record Collector

Throughout, there's sharp rhymes, urgent flow, and the sense of a complex mind in forward motion.

80
FLOOD Magazine

TYRON is a step back for the rapper, an opportunity to reveal the inner monologue of the guy crouching on Jimmy Fallon’s desk as he steals the show for his friend’s network TV debut, among other bizarre public spectacles.

80
Gigwise

Seething with lyrical and productional prowess matched by few in the current UK rap scene, experimentation with Slowthai’s flow is lacking a little as the rapper falls back on his predictably comforting ways.

80
Mojo
Embattled Northampton rapper proves skills on emotive second album.
78
Paste

slowthai’s self-titled sophomore album, TYRON is an exciting follow-up project whose bifurcated structure encapsulates the duality of slowthai’s effervescent rap persona and the evolving interiority of Tyron Frampton.

76
Sputnikmusic
TYRON's best cuts provide further unequivocal evidence that there is something special about Tyron Frampton.
71
Pitchfork

The UK rapper’s first album since his disastrous appearance at last year’s NME Awards is split between welcome introspection and all-caps boasting. It’s a refreshingly candid self-assessment.

70
Uncut
A record of two distinct moods, a mid-album flip to separate seven servings of thrillingly combative UK rap from the introspective songmanship that follows seems crucial.
70
The Forty-Five
The two-sided album gets the bravado and score-settling out of the way before turning soft and introspective on the flip.
70
Northern Transmissions
Much like the architect behind this body of work, ‘TYRON’ is a complicated, brash, sometimes confusing, sometimes frustrating, and sometimes brilliant listen. Think of this record as less of a traditional album but more of a mixtape or a series of well-produced, impulsive diary entries by someone wanting and needing to get things out of their heads.
70
Crack Magazine

Ultimately, Tyron is a transformative record, which sees slowthai emerge as a rapper who has not only embraced his traumas, but has allowed them to shape his outlook. It’s a confident opening to a brand new chapter, which is, you sense, precisely what he wanted.

70
Loud and Quiet

For a difficult second album, made undoubtedly more difficult by its context, TYRON glistens more brightly upon each new listen.

70
Rolling Stone

Tyron ... while not as evolved as it might think, is a solid effort at reflection from a promising young artist learning to get out of his own way.

60
The Telegraph
The Northampton-born rapper's follow-up to his acclaimed debut is well-produced, but lacks the wit and political fury that once defined him.
60
The Arts Desk

Ultimately, the dichotomy TYRON creates feels forced, but there are enough moments here to remind us why slowthai is one of the most intriguing artists in the UK today.

60
The Skinny

TYRON’s second half is undoubtedly more interesting, demonstrating a maturity to his lyrical ability. While it does feel like a forced attempt to put things right, on TYRON slowthai is allowed the time for self-reflection that cancel culture often denies.

60
The Line of Best Fit

Overall, TYRON is not quite the same intense powerhouse as Nothing Great About Britain ... But Slowthai still delivers a compelling record which seeks to discover and establish a self-portrait that’s a little messy but worth praising for its efforts at rough-around-the-edges ingenuity.

60
musicOMH

It’s a clear attempt to deliver a more mature, varied work than Nothing Great About Britain, and in that it succeeds. But considering his lofty aspirations, there’s nothing here that others rappers like Dave or Akala – both blessed with greater emotional intelligence, intellectual gravitas and grasp of social and political issues – haven’t done better.

55
Under the Radar
As, for all of their obvious quality and intricate attention to detail, there is no escaping the fact that this album feels clumsy and disjointed. It isn’t an abject failure but flirts with this possibility on too many occasions for it to be even mentioned in the same breath as slowthai’s previous studio effort.
50
Spectrum Culture

By dividing the British brute and the forlorn youth, slowthai spreads himself too thin. His hyper-masculinity possesses no vulnerability and the pensive approach is undercooked.

Chode
70

The latest release in Slowthai’s ever-growing discography focuses more on self-reflection rather than political deprecation, the main topic of discussion sparked on his entrance into the world of hip-hop, Nothing Great About Britain. That album was a sharp political commentary on societal issues rooted within Britain and served as an introduction to the polarizing figure known as Slowthai. On Tyron, Slowthai seems to have gone through a metamorphosis, abandoning his British politics ... read more

Doublez
76

In addition to being a human lesson on self-questioning and self-confidence, Tyron is a pleasant album that shows the new faces of Slowthai.With a more introspective and intimate approach, Tyron strays into unknown landscapes but is often caught up by its imperfections.

In the space of a few years, Slowthai has become one of today's UK Hip Hop references, combining punchy content with wild energy, not afraid to showcase his somewhat rustic nature.Since 2016, Slowthai has distinguished itself ... read more

JacksonLerner
82

slowthai’s sophomore success is layered with introspection and radicalism.

simply put: this album is heat, and it’s sufficiently diverse.

after his infamous appearance at the 2020 NME awards, i believed slowthai to be officially cancelled. he completely let the public down: he publicly harassed someone on an international platform, right after winning big.

this horrific NME stunt seems to have absolutely no effect on his career path or trajectory, as ty’s meteoric ... read more

noahjh
65

second half way better

ChefShri
77

I prefer the first half but still great overall

StretchAidan
80

Big fan of the contrast on this album, I feel like slowthai did it pretty well, james blake was a fantastic addition to feel away

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Track List

Disc 1
145 SMOKE
1:58
76
2CANCELLED
2:18
with Skepta
80
3MAZZA
2:51
83
4VEX
2:18
73
5WOT
0:48
73
6DEAD
2:59
73
7PLAY WITH FIRE
2:51
79
Disc 2
1i tried
2:14
87
2focus
2:04
77
3terms
3:12
82
4push
2:19
84
5nhs
3:26
82
6feel away
3:20
88
7adhd
2:29
85
Total Length: 35 minutes
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Added on: November 14, 2020