A decade after its original recording, “Balloonerism” by Malcolm McCormick—also known as “Mac Miller”—was officially released on Jan. 17, 2025. Spanning 58 minutes with 14 songs, “Balloonerism” is Miller’s second posthumous album following his death in Sep. 2018.
Miller’s music is known for possessing a unique, dynamic sound and vulnerable lyrics. Though his debut album in 2011, “Blue Slide Park,” has more of a pop, singer-songwriter sound, it is hardly a reflection of the rest of Miller’s work. Throughout the years of released mixtapes and singles, Miller developed the iconic moody, alternative, psychedelic sound that is now associated with his music. Produced by Miller with the help of producer Rick Rubin and Miller’s sound engineer Josh Berg, “Balloonerism” is undoubtedly the most experimental of all Miller’s projects.
Though the opening track “Tambourine Dreams” is a short 33 seconds of a rhythmically rattling tambourine, the next song, “DJ’s Organ Chord” dives into the album’s heavy themes of addiction and loss of identity. With haunting vocals from artist Thundercat and a lone verse from SZA, this song truly sets the tone for the album—not only for its jazzy, Lo-Fi sound, but the heavy themes found throughout. Harkening back to Miller’s former indie style, this track remains exactly as it was recorded in 2014, completely untouched with no editing or tuning prior to its 2025 release.
Stacked with synth and electric piano, the album’s single, “5 Dollar Pony Rides,” uses a light, jazzy tone to contrast the dark topics of the album, introducing the theme of escapism. Despite its upbeat start, the track descends into isolated drum beats and sparse, disconnected scatting from Miller, who repeats the lines, “can I give you what you want” and “can I give you what you need?” These lyrics serve as a metaphor for escapism, highlighting the temporary pleasures someone may seek to distract from the hardships of real life, whether this is sought through relationships or drug use, both core themes of the album.
Opening with ambient noise and low-base beats, “Shangri-La” features a spoken-word introduction from Miller that flows into more references to drugs and death. “Shangri-La” is a fictional utopia in English literature and is now a colloquialism for paradise on Earth. In the song, however, Miller is referring to producer Rick Rubin’s recording studio of the same name, where Miller spent time recovering from drug use in 2014. However, the false hope that was gained through the deceivingly positive lyrics of the first half of this song was soon after dissolved by Miller’s mantra “what does death feel like?” which drones through the end of the song with cruel foreshadowing.
Despite its humorous spoken intro, “Funny Papers” is no doubt the most touching song on this album. The track’s soft piano and laid-back drums create a whimsical atmosphere that juxtaposes the dark lyrical content of the song. Miller offers playful commentary on the absurd and uncontrollable nature of life and death, reflecting the existential fears he brings up throughout the album. The whimsical instrumentation of the song contrasts the contemplative lyrics, creating a sense of peace.
Slipping into the darkest track, stretching 11 minutes of eerie ambient noises and dissonant ringing, “Tomorrow Will Never Know” provides a haunting end to the album. The chorus is simply a repetition of the words “do they dream just like we do?” followed by Miller closing the song and album with the question, “if you could make it go away, give you a chance to start all over.”
This song is the resulting mental break that was alluded to in the former half of the album, simultaneously providing closure to the project while still leaving the listener puzzled.
This album serves as a glimpse into Miller’s potential as an artist. “Balloonerism “was ahead of its time when it was recorded over a decade ago and still holds up incredibly well today. Every song shows not only the depth of Miller’s emotions and struggles but also his resilient humor and personality. Even with his posthumous releases, Miller continues to exceed expectations blending genres with his own unique sound and pushing the boundaries of musical expression.
