To coincide with what would have been Mac Miller’s 33rd birthday, his estate has given us all a present — an unreleased album by the late hip-hop star.
“Balloonerism” was shelved around 2014 in favor of the album “Watching Movies With the Sound Off” and the mixtape “Faces.” To my ear, it’s closer to “Faces” but rawer and less intense. Even so, just having Miller back in our ears is a reason to celebrate.
The album includes 14 songs and features Thundercat on bass and producing, as well as collaborations with SZA and Ashley All Day. Miller and SZA worked together often during that period, producing tracks that ended up on her third EP. SZA returns the favor on “Balloonerism” with contributions that are subtle, not showy.
It’s an airy, experimental album that leans into neo-soul and jazz, often sounding dreamy and drug addled. It’s more scattered, more sprawling, than the music he officially released at the time. Be prepared for sudden changes in tempo and instruments, as well as ghostly studio murmurs. Miller also shows off some nifty drum work on three tracks.
Death and money are frequent subjects of Miller’s meditation, as is a frequent nostalgia for childhood. “What ever happened to apple juice and cartwheels?” he sings on “Excelsior.”
The best track is the lead single — “5 Dollar Pony Rides” — which features a hangdog Miller reaching out to an old love, almost scatting by the end. “Your daddy shoulda got you that pony/Let me give you what you want,” he sings.
Miller’s lyrics do his usual high-low thing, mixing frat house humor — “Just how super is a supermodel?” — with sudden, deep thoughts, like “Do I need to know the beginning to see the end?”
There is an appearance on “Transformations” by Delusional Thomas, Miller’s alter ego, which means his usual flow is distorted by effects that make him sound like a helium-sucking imp and then like a demon, all pretty juvenile stuff. It’s one of a few tracks that really didn’t need to see daylight, including the final one, the indulgent “Tomorrow Will Never Know.”
There are echos to previous work — like “Mrs. Deborah Downer,“ the title of a song on “Balloonerism.” Miller also referenced Debbie Downer in the track ”Avian” from “Watching Movies With the Sound Off.”
“Balloonerism” isn’t the first posthumous release from Miller, who died in 2018. “Circles” came out in 2020, under the care of producer Jon Brion and showed an artist in fabulous control of his sound, spare but full.
It’s always dangerous to unearth and release albums after an artist’s death. Jeff Buckley’s legacy was not enhanced by the far-from-finished “Sketches For My Sweetheart the Drunk.” But Sophie’s “Sophie” was already nearly completed and a triumph, as was Avicii’s ”Tim” and Juice WRLD’s “Legends Never Die.”
It’s not clear why “Balloonerism” stayed on the shelf. Miller’s output was remarkable, and maybe other projects seemed more pressing. But with his voice now silent, we’re hungry to hear anything new, even estranged projects. Let him give you what you want.
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