Balloonerism

On November 16, 2024, at Tyler The Creator's Camp Flog Gnaw concert, a mysterious balloon floated into the sky. The person behind it was none other than Mac Miller. After a five-year gap since his first posthumous album, Circles, in 2020, his new project, Balloonerism, was announced. Originally created between 2013 and 2015, the album bears a strong resemblance to some of Mac Miller’s defining works, including Faces, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, and GO:OD AM, yet it expands on the musical direction he pursued at the time.

To understand Balloonerism, it is essential to revisit Mac Miller’s journey in 2011. Riding the success of his mixtape K.I.D.S. Kickin' Incredibly Dope Shit, he earned a spot in the XXL Freshman Class alongside Kendrick Lamar, Meek Mill, and YG. This momentum led to the release of his debut album, Blue Slide Park. However, Blue Slide Park, which leaned heavily on mainstream appeal, lacked the creativity he had displayed on K.I.D.S., forcing Mac Miller to reconsider his artistic direction.

Having experienced firsthand the shortcomings of Blue Slide Park, he began to explore his own unique style in depth. This process led to the creation of Faces, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, and GO:OD AM, as previously mentioned. Unlike his earlier work, these projects emphasized experimentation and artistic expression over commercial viability, allowing Mac Miller to fully showcase his talent and creativity. Balloonerism follows in this lineage, yet it is infused with an even deeper sense of melancholy and pain. Through an expansive musical spectrum, he weaves these emotions seamlessly into the album’s narrative.

During the time Balloonerism was being made, Mac Miller was going through one of the most turbulent periods of his life. Despite an immense creative output, he struggled with the pressure of making music and questions about his identity. As he later admitted in interviews, making music paradoxically made him feel even more anxious. While recovering at Rick Rubin’s home, he channeled his raw thoughts on mortality into tracks like Rick's Piano. The album captures his feelings of solitude, idealism, and internal conflict with greater depth than ever before.

The album’s production is equally striking. The percussive rhythm pockets in the opening tracks and the hazy, drugged-out instrumentals in the latter half create a rich sonic landscape. The dreamy soul rhythm of Do You Have a Destination?, the fluid bassline of 5 Dollar Pony Rides, and the wide-ranging musical palette displayed in Stoned, Excelsior, and Tomorrow Will Never Know each contribute to the album’s overarching narrative. Balloonerism also carries the resigned tone that permeates Mac Miller’s discography from Faces to Circles, evoking an indescribable sadness, as if he had foreseen his own fate.

One of the album’s defining moments comes in Funny Papers, where Mac Miller’s cynical yet powerless attitude is evident in lines like music plays through the silence do you like the quiet does it really matter. Over a simple piano beat, his subdued delivery and storytelling ability shine, reminiscent of classics like Good News and Self Care. Funny Papers captures the signature emotional resonance of Mac Miller’s music, creating the illusion that he is still present in the world today.

Balloonerism closes with the sounds of children playing in Tomorrow Will Never Know, accompanied by hollow drum beats and ambient noise, leaving behind a lingering emptiness. That feeling of emptiness is inevitable now that Mac Miller is no longer with us, but his art and legacy continue to live on. More than Circles, Balloonerism encapsulates the essence of Mac Miller as an artist, defying preconceived notions about posthumous albums. Art and legacy are the best ways to remember artists who have left us, and that is why Balloonerism deserves to exist. Whether Mac Miller’s career will continue in some form remains uncertain, but Balloonerism stands as a fitting conclusion to his artistic journey.