Mac Miller’s second posthumous studio album, “Balloonerism,” came out on Friday, Jan. 17.
This was more than seven years after his death and exactly five years after the release of “Circles,” the first album released after his passing.
Miller’s team announced the album via Instagram on Nov. 21, 2024, stating that Miller finished recording “Balloonerism” in 2014 but did not release it due to other projects taking precedence.
The album has been long-awaited by Miller fans, including myself, after news of its existence was leaked to the media in 2020.
The album starts with two instrumental songs titled “Tambourine Dream” and “DJ’s Chord Organ,” the latter featuring vocals from SZA.
This produced a feeling of aspiration for the listener, that there was unfinished business.
SZA took to the social media platform X to share her emotions surrounding the album’s release.
“I love my friend I miss my friend,” she stated.
In the third track on the album, “Do You Have a Destination?” Miller eerily repeats the word “gone” in the background throughout the song. This choice doesn’t seem significant without taking into account Miller’s tragic death in hindsight.
At this point in my listening journey, I began to realize I would never be able to appreciate Miller’s music for its original intended purpose and artistry.
There will always be a thin film of heartbreak over his songs, and knowledge of information Miller didn’t have at the time, making me hear things differently.
As I moved into the next track, “5 Dollar Pony Rides,” I was fondly reminded of one of Miller’s other projects, “Larry Lovestein & The Velvet Revival.” Both the song and the music, made under the pseudonym of the same name, mix elements of jazz with the familiar playful Miller sound we know and love.
The eighth and 13th tracks, “Shangri-La” and “Rick’s Piano,” make references to record producer Rick Rubin.
Miller worked with Rubin on his final studio album, “Swimming,” and appeared in Rubin’s docuseries, “Shangri-La.” It has been said that Rubin helped Miller open up emotionally in his final project to create some of his most personal songs yet.
“What does death feel like?” and “Why does death steal life?” are lyrics Miller repeats towards the end of “Rick’s Piano.” While it is not uncommon for Miller to discuss death in his songs, I was taken aback on my first listen.
In this song, you can feel the push and pull of Miller battling for answers to questions we all ponder, while soft music is played on his friend and mentor Rubin’s piano.
The ninth track on the album is “Funny Papers,” a long-awaited release for Miller fans. The song was first leaked in 2014 but didn’t become prevalent until 2020 on the music platform SoundCloud.
Fans still championed the song on other social media platforms, including Instagram. A clip of Miller singing “Funny Papers” went viral in 2024 within his fanbase.
Miller fans were attracted to this song in particular after his death due to its retrospective symbolism.
“Didn’t think anybody died on a Friday,” sang Miller, who died on Friday, Sep. 7, 2018. I anticipate “Funny Papers” will be a major standout of the album.
The 14th and final track on the album is an 11-minute song titled “Tomorrow Will Never Know.” This song features instrumentals, voicemail recordings and audio of kids playing. The song ends with unanswered dial tones.
I appreciated this album’s discussion of things Miller struggled with during his time on Earth. Substance misuse and addiction are common themes in Miller’s music, but the lyrics of this album in particular hit the core of his struggles.
This album speaks to a sense of relinquishment that Miller’s other albums didn’t focus on.
This second melancholic album released following Miller’s death steered me to look back on the evolution of Mac Miller.
The album that raised Miller to fame, “K.I.D.S.,” was filled with upbeat, lighthearted hits that remain classics. Miller’s song “The Spins” has a euphoric feeling that Spotify users chase to recreate with other songs.
The dramatic shift in mood over Miller’s entire discography is hard to miss. While fans still mourn the tragic loss of Miller, the release of new music keeps his life’s work in the public eye.
“Balloonerism” feeds the need for Miller’s music with a short-lasting satiation that will never fully be satisfied. With over 250 known unreleased Miller songs, Miller fans will patiently wait for more sustenance.
