Album Review: Mac Miller — Balloonerism

Written by Oskar Vier

Published on 23.01.2025

The second posthumous Mac Miller album comes on the fifth year anniversary of the first – his most essential – record, "Circles".


85

The opening track to Balloonerism and its prelude Tambourine Dream are album-defining. This is Mac Miller's most abstract and heady album musically, which might turn off fans of his final and most popular albums, Swimming and Circles. The sonic difference is quite easily explained though: Balloonerism was recorded at a very different stage in Mac Miller's life and discography. 

In 2021, the Mac Miller estate reissued his 2014 mixtape, Faces – and they proved once again how much they respected the artist's legacy and vision, while giving fans what they want (as opposed to what audiences are used to when the music industry deals with posthumous releases). This reissue of Faces makes even more sense in the context of Balloonerism's 2024 official release as the two records are from the same era – the same year even. 

When confronted with the question of why Miller released Faces and not Balloonerism, one is very easily tempted to answer that it were because of a difference in quality – or even because Miller himself wasn't fond enough of the latter. In light of how good Balloonerism is, the probable truth makes a lot more sense. You see, after releasing Faces in May 2014, which was the time where Balloonerism was recorded, Miller signed a contract with Warner Music in October of the same year. The following album cycle around 2015s GO:OD AM was noticeably more commercial and digestible. The contrast to what we now know Balloonerism to be is quite striking, and so it is easy to theorize that Warner Music's influence led Miller to ultimately shelf the project. The fact that Balloonerism allegedly already was no priority to Miller compared to his 2013 album Watching Movies with the Sound Off and 2014s Faces constitutes the true story too though. In light of Mac Miller's undeniable talent and truthful artistic vision, it is up to speculation why that was, as Balloonerism quite frankly is an excellent record. It shows Miller from his most playfully contemplative side, with a handful songs that remain abstract and practically formless across multiple listens. It is something you have to adjust yourself to, but once you've shed the expectation of another Swimming or Circles, Balloonerism becomes a musical world at least as worthwhile.

Balloonerism feels like Mac Miller's most artistic statement. Only a few songs, if even any, will become classics in his discography individually, I suppose, but as a whole, the album will be a fan- and critic favorite because of its psychedelic and hazily jazzy Neo-Soul approach and crossover with Hip Hop. This is an album only one of the finest and most visionary Pop musicians of this generation could conceive, supervise and finally pull-off. It is truly shame we lost him this early – as a human and as an artist. Luckily, we got an incredibly respectful estate nurishing and taking care of Mac Miller's legacy.


Track Listing and Song Ratings
  1. Tambourine Dream | NR
  2. DJ's Chord Organ (feat. SZA) | 90 ★
  3. Do You Have a Destination? | 80
  4. 5 Dollar Pony Rides | 90 ★
  5. Friendly Hallucinations | 90
  6. Mrs. Deborah Downer | 80
  7. Stoned | 90 ★
  8. Shangri-La | 80
  9. Funny Papers | 90 ★
  10. Excelsior | 80
  11. Transformation (feat. Delusional Thomas) | 70
  12. Manakins | 80
  13. Rick's Piano | 90 ★
  14. Tomorrow Will Never Know | 80