A new posthumous album of Mac Miller’s entitled Balloonerism was recently released on 17 January. The album was written and recorded between 2013 and 2014, and, according to producer Eric Dan, it was released “largely untouched” from its original state.
Balloonerism starts with “Tambourine Dream,” an instrumental prelude that follows into the first track, “DJ’s Chord Organ.” Hearing Mac’s voice singing something new for the first time after all these years instantly feels hauntingly beautiful. “B flat, F, D”–it’s made to feel as if the listener is in the studio working on the music with him; this is elegantly immersive in an innovative way. SZA features on the first full-length track, her voice is the perfect accompaniment to the song; she is an angelic salute to Mac.
The majority of “DJ’s Chord Organ” is an anticipating gradual build-up to the first time Mac’s voice can be clearly heard, 4 minutes and 18 seconds into the song he begins. “Yeah” he sings, his voice clear as day; it is a wait worthwhile for those who thought they would never hear a new Mac Miller song again.
In “Do You Have A Destination,” he asks the listener: “Can you feel it?” His address to the listener is emotively personal and intimate; those listening are instantly immersed in the song. It feels as if there’s a real connection built between the artist and the listener within that line alone. “I gave my life to this shit, already killed myself” feels eerie and foreshadowing as Mac sings four years before his death–an accidental drug overdose in 2018.
Throughout “Do You Have A Destination,” he raises a series of introspective and philosophical thoughts: “tryna find Heaven, I get high but never come close”, “we still wonder why we’ll never learn to love”. The first few tracks of the album are concise and well tied together yet so open, sad yet happy–music you can both dance and cry to.
“5 Dollar Pony Rides” is a highlight on the album, an upbeat instrumental with deep and reflective lyrics–a specialty of Mac’s that many of his fans originally fell in love with. He had a talent that few musicians have, the ability to insert his audience into an anecdote–allowing them to create a vivid picture that they can see themselves in. This theme of critical reflection continues on “Friendly Hallucinations” as he asks: “how long has it been since you smiled?”, “what’s love without imagination?”. Throughout the album, there’s a beautiful feeling of nostalgia in getting back that voice that many listeners grew up in awe of.
“Stoned” is another highlight track on the album, sonically satisfying, and one of those songs that makes you feel something raw. In it, he sings “heaven feels just like home”. Themes of life and death scattered throughout the album at a high concentration leave a damp taste as they come with such a heavy impact. On the production and instrumental side, the album is beautifully orchestrated–perfectly suited to Mac’s voice.
The track “Excelsior” critically reminisces on the transition between childhood and adulthood–emphasising the magic that is lost when we grow up. His alter ego, Delusional Thomas, made an appearance on the album in “Transformations,” bringing up nostalgia for fans of Mac’s older work.
The penultimate track, “Rick’s Piano,” is cheerfully pessimistic. The discussion of death comes back, and it is more haunting here than ever as the album is coming to a close and the listener knows what’s to come but 2014 Mac Miller does not. As the listener begins to come to terms with the fact that they won’t hear Mac’s voice again, the album’s final eleven-minute long track, “Tomorrow Will Never Know,” feels almost spiritual.
“Mac Miller 2017 b-w” by Nicolas Völcker is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.