While the world of modern music is no stranger to posthumous album releases, especially given the prolific libraries of unpublished music from various artists, 2025’s “Balloonerism” from the estate of Mac Miller was a pleasant surprise. Since the artist’s tragic passing in 2018, only one other album has been released, being 2020’s “Circles.” Fans speculated as to what the album’s themes or sound could have been, since each project has had relatively distinct sounds. “Balloonerism” was finally released on January 17, 2025.
“Balloonerism” can be mainly defined by the melodic and euphoric instrumental throughout the project. The beginning tracks “Tambourine Dream” and “DJ’s Chord Organ” signal the shift towards a more instrumental and uplifting production style. SZA’s vocals on “DJ’s Chord Organ” help to build the angelic and euphoric sound in the earlier legs of the album. Other tracks on the album, such as “Funny Papers” and “Rick’s Piano” let digital production take a back seat in favor of a more melodic sound. Miller has always been known for his unique production styles, but this particular sound resonates with the audience more than any other project.
“As an avid Mac Miller listener, I have always enjoyed listening to his work as he has a very unique sound,” says Lauren Johnson. Johnson is an ERHS student and a very routine music listener. She offered her thoughts on the album as a whole and commented on the artistic elements of the album.
“The consistency of psychedelic production paired with genres of jazz and neo-soul made me appreciate this album’s artistic aspect…”
Another great aspect of “Balloonerism” is the vulnerability and emotion that we get from Miller. While Miller has touched on topics pertaining to mental health in the past, hearing these once unreleased tracks since his passing gives the lyrics a new sense of meaning, tragedy, and beauty. In “5 Dollar Pony Rides,” Miller discusses the danger of pent up emotions by saying, “Killin’ yourself like this / Goin’ crazy, keepin’ all of these secrets / How is that livin’?”
Writing like that throughout the album shows what Miller truly thought of connection and relationships, emphasizing the impossibility of living a fruitful life while bottling up emotions and secrets.Miller’s slow repetition of the phrase, “What does death feel like?” and “Why does death steal life?” on “Rick’s Piano” resonates with the existential dread and fear of death’s finite nature. Miller uses wordplay and lyricism throughout the entirety of the album to bring emotion and experience to the forefront of the album. It’s a tragic reminder that at the end of the day, Miller was a human too, and struggled and felt emotion just as we do.
Johnson reflected on the emotional aspect of the album and its impact on the artistry as a whole, “The uniqueness of Mac’s sound while blending emotional depth alongside it, making a complex yet beautiful album.”
There are several arguments for and against the release of posthumous media from an artist. However, in this case, the consensus seems to be that “Balloonerism” was important enough to be shared with the world.
Miller’s Estate via Instagram said about the album, “We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and his fearlessness as an artist.” The blissful production and emotionally charged lyrics make it a great listen, and a perfect embodiment of the artistic spirit of Mac Miller.
