Mac Miller fans everywhere were anxiously counting down the days for the official release of the album “Balloonerism.” Originally recorded in 2014, the album became accessible on all streaming platforms Jan. 17. It is his second album to be released postmortal, after his tragic death in 2018.
The album came in at number one across several Billboard album charts, such as Top Album Sales, Vinyl Albums and Top Rap Albums. This album is Miller’s third number one rap album, joining“Blue Side Park” (2011) and “The Divine Feminine” (2016).
This album proves Miller’s talent and creativity to be timeless, with each track being curated several years ago, but still providing a unique and fresh sound, even with the constant trend changes within musicality that we see now.
There are only two features on the tracklist. The second track, “Dj’s Chord Organ” features a globally well known R&B artist known as SZA, whose melodious singing style brings listeners back to her early days of music and meshes harmoniously with Miller’s backing vocals.
SZA has spoken out about this piece specifically. “This track is left exactly how it was recorded all those years ago. No editing, no tune, no nothing. It didn’t seem right to change it. I can still feel the raw hangout it was born from,” she said in an Instagram story on Jan 9.
Thus proving further that Mac Miller will always hold a strong and well deserved reputation in the music industry, continuing to be a beacon of light of raw, authentic, and instrumental expertise, even after his passing. The authenticity of the album is something that typically is not seen when it comes to posthumous releases.
“Balloonerism” explores Miller’s mental psyche as he grew from a teenager into adulthood as well as his relationships with sex, drugs and the rise of fame, touching on the worldly troubles they come with.
In his lead single “Five Dollar Pony Rides,” listeners take a dive into the emotional aspect of Miller’s mindscape, as it reflects on a complex and detached relationship, pushing and pulling between the concepts of wants and needs.
In the chorus, Miller offers quick fixes and material pleasures which he then compares to a cheap pony ride, with the promise of emotional and fulfilling connection later. Adjacently, the fifth track “Friendly Hallucinations” continues the theme of a broken relationship but shines light on how drug abuse has affected his ability to differentiate imagination and reality.
The genuineness of Miller’s struggles at face value can make the album seem dark, but “Balloonerism” leaves room for listeners and fans to emotionally connect and relate with the poetic lyricism of each track, even the instrumentals – something Mac featured often in his works.
As the album goes on and Miller continues to reflect on the hardships he faced, it is almost as if he had faith in himself to get to a better place than where he once was before. Nostalgically plagued by better times, and understanding that the industry and materialism are not all that they seem.
A notable lyric comes from the ninth track “Funny Papers” “Didn’t think anybody died on a Friday.” Fans see it as a chilling and somber foreshadowing, since Miller’s overdose took place on Friday, Sept. 7 2018.
Reflecting on the influence of Miller’s music, I see a beloved producer, singer, and songwriter whose words and unique beats have had a significant impact on the music industry, fellow artists and loyal fans everywhere. His legacy leaves an immeasurable impression that none other than Larry Fisherman — Miller’s alter ego — can fulfill.