I watched the Spotify countdown for days.
I could hardly believe that it was only six days, 21 hours and 49 minutes until the release of the late Mac Miller’s second, full-length posthumous album “Balloonerism.” I was simultaneously eager to listen and skeptical of the release. In the past, many posthumous albums have translated to listeners as cash-grabbing, inauthentic, incomplete jumbles of songs that lack story and dilute the unique sound that fans crave.
“Balloonerism” is nothing of the sort.
Recorded primarily between 2013 and 2014, the album includes 14 songs and has features from artists like SZA and several memorable bass lines from Thundercat. Miller debuted as a singer, rapper and producer in 2010 with “Kids” and gained booming popularity with “Blue Slide Park.” The album hit number one on the charts, despite critics such as Pitchfork finding it “crushingly bland.” Fans who observed the evolution of Miller’s discography watched his works develop into more eccentric, experimental sounds, which is the epitome of the celebrated artist’s legacy and who he is remembered as today.
Miller’s latest album is similar to his previous works in that the lyrics and music evoke the hazy, drug-addled Los Angeles scene in the early 2000s. Juxtaposed with upbeat tempos, the lyrics are an eerie listening experience. They outline Miller’s struggles mental health and drugs, which ultimately led to the tragic end of his life in 2018, when he overdosed at the age of 26.
Miller moved to Los Angeles in 2012, when he created many of these songs. This is evident throughout the entire album, as his lyrics speak to his complex relationship with growing up, being an artist in LA and struggling with depression and addiction. The lyrics touch on themes of isolation, feeling lost and turning to drugs in dark times. For example, in “Do You Have A Destination?,” the rapper says “I went to sleep famous and I woke up invisible / Rich as f— and miserable.” Though his celebrity would appear to be a high point for him, the songs he created at this time, put out more than 10 years later, nod to deeper turmoil.
The album begins with “Tamborine Dream” featuring a loud, boisterous tambourine. The second song “DJ’s Organ Chord” is still not Miller rapping, but rather producing SZA’s vocals, a Thundercat feature and an organ sample. The production of “Balloonerism” has a lot of texture, and though these songs are not immediate playlist adds, they frame the eccentric themes for the rest of the album.
Songs like “Do You Have A Destination?,” “5 Dollar Pony Rides” and “Shangri-La” feature punchy drums and jazzy accompaniment, yet have lyrics such as “Gave my life to this s—, already killed myself.” The lyricism is dark and haunting, yet strong and true to Miller’s sound. Songs such as “Funny Papers” highlight Miller’s sense of humor, which many fans were drawn to in his other works, but it is more tender and emotional than other songs on the album.
Unsurprisingly, Miller’s substance abuse is depicted in most works, but especially in “Mrs. Deborah Downer” — a song that both poetically and explicitly delves into his relationship with drugs.
Overall, the entire production and lyrical trajectory of the album is strong and takes listeners on an emotional and personal journey, which can be missed in most posthumous releases. Knowing that this unique set of songs were early experiments, I can’t help but wonder how much more developed and how much farther Miller could have gone had he still been around today.
Summary
Singer, rapper and producer Mac Miller released his second, full-length posthumous album “Balloonerism” Jan. 17, 2025. Recorded between 2013 and 2014, the album showcases Miller’s unique sound, with jazz-inspired production and poetic lyricism. The 14 songs depict themes of feeling lost, struggling with mental health, substance abuse and isolation.