On Jan. 17, 2025 Mac Miller’s estate released his second posthumous album titled “Balloonerism,” exactly five years after the release of his first posthumous album “Circles.” Leading up to the album’s release, Miller’s estate also released the lone single “5 Dollar Pony Rides” on Jan. 9, 2025.
“Balloonerism” was considered one of Miller’s “lost projects” as the album’s production occurred alongside the production of the “Faces” mixtape and in between the production of his 2013 and 2015 studio albums “Watching Movies with the Sound Off” and “GO:OD AM.”
The project initially surfaced online in 2020 following five years of rumors regarding its potential release date; Miller’s estate announced the project’s official release following a teaser at Odd Future’s 2024 Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival.
Additionally, an official short film companion to the project was released on Amazon Prime alongside the release of the album.
Five Favorite Songs from Balloonerism:
- Funny Papers
- Do You Have a Destination?
- Rick’s Piano
- 5 Dollar Pony Rides
- Manakins
Featured artists:
SZA, Delusional Thomas (one of Miller’s many alter-egos) and Thundercat
Mac Miller’s “Balloonerism” is a hauntingly beautiful album that seamlessly blends jazz, rap and experimental instrumentation. Even after listening to the entirety of the album numerous times, it is difficult to grasp the subject matter of each track and the rawness of Miller’s vocals. After listening to his entire discography, I feel as though listening to “Balloonerism” is like opening a time capsule that displays this dark time in Miller’s life as his past struggles eerily parallel the events leading up to his untimely death in 2018. Throughout the album, I heavily enjoyed each track’s jazzy undertones and psychedelic influences that offer an almost dreamy atmosphere to each track, and it’s interesting to hear Miller experimenting with different production styles displayed in his later bodies of work. One thing I’ve always appreciated from Miller’s music that is evident in “Balloonerism” is his vulnerability and creativity when exploring themes like the complexity of fame, self-reflection, self-discovery and mental health as his music has allowed me to understand aspects of my life better. As a long-time listener of Miller’s music, “Balloonerism” evokes a feeling similar to hearing a loved one’s voice again after their passing.
