The Lumberjack
•
15th January 2025
Mac Miller Explores a New Sound in "Balloonerism"
Mac Miller’s “Balloonerism” is a compelling and melancholic exploration of his musical growth, inner turmoil and existential questions. First announced in November 2024 by his family estate, his second posthumous album captures the essence of Miller's thoughts and a creative period fans thought had been lost for over a decade.
Miller’s estate also announced a short film to go with the music, adding a visual element to the dreamy album. The 22-minute film was directed by Samuel Jerome Mason and matches the stories told throughout the album, such as thoughts of childhood escaping the man and feeling lost in an unpredictable world.
To properly digest and respect “Balloonerism,” one must understand where the American rapper was at in his career during the two-week recording session of the 14-track album.
The year was 2014. Miller recorded “Balloonerism” only a few weeks before working on his critically acclaimed mixtape “Faces,” which took priority at the time and caused the delayed arrival of this body of work.
Both projects are doorways to each other. Similarities in both albums stand out due to the close proximity of the recording times. However, “Balloonerism” sounds like a raw outlier compared to the rest of his discography, for it was the beginning of his attempt to rebrand his sound.
Miller’s family said this project had great importance to the rapper. He continued to work on it until his accidental overdose in 2018. He formed the song listings and created release strategies for the album, making “Balloonerism” an authentic representation of his music visions.
The cover art is a Pablo Picasso-like drawing that Miller commissioned Alim Smith to create in 2014. It shows his head as a balloon that lifts a man in the air, connecting to the final shot in the short film of a blue balloon slowly floating into the sky.
The album opens with “Tambourine Dream,” a brief but hypnotic 33-second intro where the use of a tambourine sonically sets the tone for the rest of the album.
From here, “DJ’s Chord Organ (Feat. SZA)” transports listeners into a trance-like state. The warm organ chords, SZA’s soulful harmonies and Thundercat’s bass lines create an ethereal sound that is soothing yet underscores Miller’s quest for meaning and clarity in a chaotic world. The next track, “Do You Have A Destination?,” depicts this idea but in lyrical form.
“Five Dollar Pony Rides” is the only upbeat track. It is a reflective, yet playful song that has a catchy melody. This track is the most radio-friendly on the album, yet it retains the introspective lyricism that defines the record.
“Funny Papers” opens with a relaxed piano, setting the mood for the rest of the song. Miller reflects on life, death and the simple nature of just existing. The juxtaposition of the heavy lyrics over a mellow rhythm is symbolic of how Miller confides in his music as a therapy outlet.
“Stoned” is the seventh song and stood out upon the first listen. It is a haunting exploration of self-doubt disguised as a seductive call to escape through substances.
On the 10th track, “Excelsior,” Miller questions the end of childhood innocence and the inevitable loss of wonder that comes with adulthood. It is a sobering reflection on growing up and feels like the song that inspired the short film, due to its story-telling aspect.
“Manakins” is another standout as the 12th track, with its heavy instrumentals and deep philosophical themes about spirituality, joined by Miller’s questions about a higher power.
The album’s final track, “Tomorrow Will Never Know,” is an 11-minute journey through Miller’s psyche that sounds like a lucid dream. Miller's experimental sound allows the listener to drift away in the music, which was a new concept for him at this time.
“Balloonerism” is an album that is not easy to categorize when looking at Miller’s discography as a whole. It is eerie and experimental, emotionally challenging yet deceptively mellow. It captures Miller at a crossroads in his life, between the youthful innocence of his frat-rap days and adult suffrage.
It is clear Miller was in the midst of reinvention when he recorded this album, which makes it all the better. Before discarding the atypical sound of the album, it is important to know where Miller was when writing and recording songs now known as “Balloonerism.”
Rating: 9/10
