Key Takeaways:

• Tyler, The Creator’s latest project, ‘DON’T TAP THE GLASS,’ blends dance-forward beats with satirical lyrics and bold production choices.
• The album includes features from Pharrell Williams, DAISY WORLD and more, with highlights like “Sucka Free” and “Stop Playing With Me.”
• Themes of meme culture, self-expression and creative autonomy run throughout the offering, reflecting Tyler’s evolution as an artist.

Continuing his relatively new tradition of dropping music at the beginning of the week, Tyler, The Creator is back with his ninth studio album, DON’T TAP THE GLASS. The LP arrived on Monday (July 21) at 6 a.m. ET with contributions from Pharrell Williams, DAISY WORLD and more.

Ahead of the project’s surprise rollout, which he first teased last week, Tyler explained the inspiration behind the music — especially its dance-heavy direction. “I asked some friends why they don’t dance in public, and some said [it was] because of the fear of being filmed,” he shared via Instagram. “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.”

The 10-song offering opens with Tyler laying down a few ground rules: “no sitting still,” “leave your baggage at home,” and of course, “don’t tap the glass.” On “Big Poe,” he steps into the role of his newest persona to dish out lines about Mario and not trusting white people with dreadlocks. Amid all that going on, Pharrell lays down two verses of his own, and there’s also a sample of Busta Rhymes’ “Pass The Courvoisier Part II” on the bridge.

Meanwhile, “Sugar On My Tongue” is a sexed-up cut with dance-floor energy bubbling under its surface. The album’s strongest moments come early, particularly with “Sucka Free” and “Stop Playing With Me,” the latter accompanied by a star-studded video featuring LeBron James, Clipse and Maverick Carter. Elsewhere, “Don’t Tap That Glass / Tweakin’” offers a two-part listen that references his six-night run at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena back in February.

There’s a lot to love about DON’T TAP THE GLASS, from its instrumentals — many of which Tyler produced himself — to his overall return to the kind of provocative, controversial lyrics that first put him on the map. Take a listen below.

Tyler is currently on the road promoting last year’s CHROMAKOPIA, which also dropped on a Monday back in October. It came with tracks “St. Chroma,” “Like Him” and what might be its most star-studded record, “Sticky,” featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne. Compared to some of the Odd Future frontman’s earlier releases, the album offered a more mature, introspective look at an artist that fans have grown with for years.