Mac Miller’s, the late rapper, estate releases his second posthumous album, Balloonerism several years after his untimely death.
Balloonerism is the seventh studio album from Mac Miller. It shows how prolific he was with the time that he had. Between 2007 and 2018, Miller released seven albums, two EPs, 13 mixtapes, and 46 singles. According to Miller’s estate, Balloonerism was recorded in 2014 in about a two-week period. Even though Miller commissioned album artwork and wanted to release it, other projects ended up taking priority. The legendary rapper put a lot of himself into the album – his alias Larry Fisherman is credited as a producer, and another alias Delusional Thomas as a feature. The album has since been leaked online, but now fans can listen to the official release.
Balloonerism is experimental and full of melodic, meandering tunes. Miller is no stranger to melancholy and is not afraid to take a more somber tone on some songs. It’s difficult to avoid the topic of Miller’s death in this album; with the chorus of “Rick’s Piano” has Miller asking “What does death feel like?” over and over again. He says “living and dying are one and the same” on “Tomorrow Will Never Know”. Miller is a skilled writer and artist. Balloonerism’s release after his death is a reminder of the talent and insight that is gone.
Lastly, “Rick’s Piano” also emphasizes a cautious optimism that “the best is yet to come”. Looking back at Miller’s career, one can see that Mac was right- some of his best work did come out after making Balloonerism. Kierkegaard, a philosopher, said, “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards”. The last line of the album is “Give you a chance to start all over,” followed by the sounds of children playing and a phone that rings over and over, never picked up. The album overall creates a great atmosphere, although, the last two tracks might be more difficult to listen to.
I am an Austin, TX-based photographer and filmmaker. I moved from Houston to attend the University of Texas at Austin, where I graduated in 2022. I'm a lifelong music lover and spend tons of time attending shows and making music. Some current favorites are Sophie May, Farmer’s Wife, and K. Flay.
