“Balloonerism” by Mac Miller was released on Jan. 19, 2025. This marks Miller’s seventh studio album and second posthumus album since the rapper’s death in 2018. Miller’s family released this album in honor of his passing.
The album “Balloonerism” by Mac Miller was an important album for Miller. His family stated the artwork and the release date was a topic Miller brought up many times before his passing. They also stated in an Instagram post, “Ultimately, GO:OD AM and subsequent albums ended up taking precedence.” Other versions of this upcoming album have gone around social media and Miller’s family thought it was the best decision to release the official album. They stated in an Instagram post, “We believe the project showcases both breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist.”
About Mac Miller
Malcolm James McCormick, also known as Mac Miller, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Jan. 19, 1992. In 2010 he signed to a record deal with an independent label “Rostrum Records” and released his debut album “K.I.D.S.”. For his famous album “Swimming” he was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Rap Album. He had many alter egos such as “Delusional Thomas” and “Larry Fisherman” which he served as a record producer for himself under the name “Larry Fisherman.” Miller struggled with drug addiction which he expressed in his music.
The Death Of Mac Miller
Mac Miller passed away at 26 due to an accidental drug overdose during a relapse. Later tests showed cocaine, fentanyl, and alcohol in his system. Miller’s assistant found him unresponsive in his Los Angeles apartment on Sept. 7, 2018. Three men were arrested in connection to his death, one of them being Ryan Michael Reavis, who was sentenced to 10 years in jail for selling Miller fentanyl.
Music he’s produced
Mac Miller produced 13 albums. “K.I.D.S.” being his first released on Aug. 13, 2010. “K.I.D.S.” was released with a deluxe album with 2 added songs “Face In The Crowd” and “Back In The Day”. Some of his well known albums are “Circles” which was released on Jan. 17, 2020, along with “Circles (Deluxe)” which was released on March 19, 2020. In addition to “Swimming” (Aug. 3, 2018), “The Divine Feminine” (Sept. 16, 2016), “GO:OD AM” (Sept. 18, 2015) “Macadelic” (March 23, 2012).
Miller’s Cultural Influence
Miller’s music gave a sense of vulnerability and showcased his transparent emotions of the hardships of life. This allowed his fans and listeners to relate to him and connect with his experiences. His music also gave hope to his fans, inspiring them to stand up to the hard challenges in life. He also inspired SZA, a widely known and popular artist who is also featured on his latest album, who stated in a recent tweet, “Thank you for allowing me in your space to discover myself and believing in me the entire time..I could never repay you.”
The Features On Balloonerism
Sza:
SZA, whose real name is Solána Imani Rowe, was born on Nov. 8, 1989, in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in New Jersey. She started her music career in the early 2010s and signed with Top Dawg Entertainment in 2013. Her first big album, “CTRL”, came out in 2017 and got a lot of attention for its honest lyrics and unique sound. SZA is known for writing songs about love, self-confidence and personal struggles. Her second album, “SOS”, was released in 2022 and became a huge success, hitting No. 1 on the charts. She’s now one of the most popular R&B artists in the world and will soon go on tour with rapper Kendrick Lamar for her latest album “Lana.”
Delusional Thomas:
Delusional Thomas is a rap alter ego created by Mac Miller. He released a self-titled mixtape in 2013, which had a dark and eerie vibe. The mixtape stood out because Delusional Thomas raps in a high-pitched, almost cartoonish voice, making it different from Mac Miller’s usual style. Even though the project was weird and experimental, fans liked it for its creative lyrics and unique sound. Mac Miller also produced the mixtape under his producer name, Larry Fisherman. Delusional Thomas is just one example of how Mac Miller liked to experiment with his music.
Now, let’s get into the album review.
Tambourine Dream: A tambourine plays for the entire song, Not much to say for this song.
DJ’s Chord Organ Feat. SZA: It first starts off with a guy saying “B Flat” and “F” over and over. It then smoothly transitions into the intro. The transition is full of humming from Mac and SZA which blends beautifully. It gave me a sense of bittersweetness.
Do You Have A Destination?: This is more of a rap song which Mac is known for. The beat matches well with the lyrics and the vocals. What helps is that he isn’t chasing the beat; it fits just right. The lyrics are amazing and add to the ambiance.
5 Dollar Pony Rides: This is one of my favorites on the album. It’s more of a chill beat than the first few songs. The tambourine is in the back adding a groove to the song. It’s a well put-together song.
Friendly Hallucinations: This song has a nice base. Mac is a lyrical genius, and these lyrics are amazing. The way he blends the background vocals with everything in this song is smooth. It was a surprise to hear SZA in the background a little. One of my favorites.
Mrs. Deborah Downer: This song reminds me of a walk downtown, that’s the vibe I get from it. It’s a slow rap song that gives me a sort of sad feeling. The lyrics talk a lot about drugs and his past. It’s a great song.
Stoned: There’s a guitar in the intro and it sounds amazing. He starts to jump into a nice flow with the beat. There’s odd sounds in the background but it works well. There’s a part where there’s a knock on a door and then he starts a majestic verse. This is by far my favorite on the album.
Shangri-La: He starts the song off in a monologue with a tv sound effect voice. His rapping flow is extremely smooth and interesting. It’s a great song.
Funny Papers: Like Shangri-La, It starts off in a monologue with a tv sound effect voice but this time it’s a piano. Somehow, this song is a rap song, but has a lo-fi piano beat. Usually I wouldn’t be a fan, but it works so well with his voice.
Excelsior: The intro are kids playing on a playground. It reminds me so much of “Halley’s Comet” by Billie Eilish. It’s such a nostalgic beat, and the background beat is overlapping and echoing with each other making it seem like he’s in a canyon.
Transformations Feat. Delusional Thomas: Off the bat, you hear Delusional Thomas’s voice. It’s an interesting sound, but that’s how you know it’s a Mac. It has a sort of elevator sound to it. It’s a very interesting song. Not my favorite, but it’s not bad.
Manakins: I feel like I’m walking into an ancient arena when I play this song. The sound of it is ethereal. He has many instruments playing at the same time which blend together to make a satisfying song.
Rick’s Piano: Once again the tambourine is being played in the background. I love how slow the song is. It shows Mac can do rap and slow songs at the same time. The rapping is echoed in the back and the background effects show more in this song. The echos really add a kick to this neatly produced song.
Tomorrow Will Never Know: This is the longest song on the album. It doesn’t have many lyrics, so I feel as though it could be shorter. I also noticed kids in the background again and I feel like he added some of the other songs into this one. If you like songs without lyrics and a cool vibe and sound, then this is for you. It has some majestic parts in it. It sounds like he’s yelling and it echoes and overlaps with everything else. It’s on my playlist for sure.
Overall, I would give this album a 10/10. Every song, whether it was all lyrics or no lyrics, was so interestingly and neatly produced. The way he can find an odd and weird beat that normally people wouldn’t go for, then turn it into an ethereal melody is astonishing. He’s a lyrical genius.