Mac Miller: Balloonerism Review

Grace Culhane-Rodulfo

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Balloonerism is much more than an album. It is a surreal, abstract and hauntingly beautiful deep dive into the psyche of Mac Miller.

This experimental compilation is his second posthumous work recorded in 2014, a much earlier point in his discography.

With unofficial leaks circulating for years, his estate officially released the album on 17th January, concurring with what would have been his 33rd birthday.

Album Analysis

Track one

The album invites listeners into a state of reflection, nostalgia, and gratitude for the artistic legacy he imprinted on the music world. It leaves die-hard fans asking, ‘What could have been?’

The instrumental intro track ‘Tambourine Dream’ immediately invokes a dreamy state. Miller prepares listeners to enter his space with the energetic sound of the tambourine. The song feels spiritual and meditative, and it lulled me into wondering what tone this album would take.

Track two

The smooth transition into the second track, ‘DJ’s Chord Organ’, entices listeners further into this trance. The angelic jazz and organ chords are a prelude to the retrospective journey this track will take us on.

The ethereal vocals of SZA jolt us back into the present with the lyric “Cocaine is ruthless”, introducing the primary theme of escapism through drugs and the darkness that prevails from it.

Her lone verse is over a decade old, inflicting nostalgia for both SZA and Miller fans. She recently shared a statement about how much she loves and misses her friend, wishing he could see how well she was doing now, holding a mirror to the widespread reminiscence following the release.

As a Daniel Johnston fan, finding out his organ chord was sampled made it ever more touching and explains the lo-fi, alternative style of the track.

Track three

Miller set the scene for the third song ‘Do You Have A Destination?’ to commence.

The philosophical questioning in the song title denotes a sense of searching for purpose, which pervades the entire track. It takes the style of jazz rap, coupled with heavy drums and lyrics of dark humour.

The crippling line “Gave my life to this sh*t, already killed myself” makes this a rather tough listen due to the foreboding nature of his tragic passing.

Strife is evident in his struggle to find meaning and direction, as in lines such as “Tryna find heaven; I get high but never come close.” We are transported into his existential thoughts as he ponders death, philosophical rumination, and escapism.

Track five

Miller was open with his battles of addiction, evidenced in ‘Friendly Hallucinations’ (which also features SZA).

It takes a funk and jazz style coupled with introspective and captivating lyrics that explore love, drugs and jaded reality. He tells the story of a girl who is experiencing hallucinations and dissociation, presumably as a result of drug use.

Miller exhibits his existential thinking with his belief in another world in lyrics such as “there is a paradise waiting on the other side of the dock” and “there is beauty in creation my Lord”. I found peace of mind in his belief in a far more beautiful alternative world than the one he was living in.

Track seven

Miller’s song ‘Stoned’, tells the story of a troubled and aloof girl who indulges in escapism with him as they get stoned together.

The lines of the chorus “Heaven feels just like home” show that although Miller is existential about the concept of life and death, he ultimately embraced the idea of himself dying.

There is no evidence to suggest that the women in the songs were fictitious, which leads me to believe he is the protagonist in both stories.

Track nine

Track nine, ‘Funny Papers’ continues his existential musings of life, death and loss of innocence.

Despite the heavy lyrics, Miller manages to make this song, in my opinion, the catchiest on the album. The chorus struck a particular chord with me when he discussed paying rent by a certain date whilst “The moon is wide awake, with a smile on his face”.

It speaks true to the worry and woe we experience whilst the rest of the world blissfully lives on. He shows his disdain for the loss of innocence when he tells us of a Mother birthing a child into this “Dark place” contrasted with the newborn’s “Sweet oblivion”.

The ending lyrics, “Why does it matter at all”, summarise this philosophical introspection, circling back to the meaning of the chorus.

Track 10

The following song, ‘Excelsior’ explores the inner child concept.

It begins with the background noise of children playing. Miller raps about how adulthood destroys childhood creativity as he reflects on simpler times defined by “apple juice and cartwheels”.

‘Excelsior’ is synonymous with the short animated film. The adaptation showed a group of school children led into an eerie underworld, by the sound of the chord organ from track two.

This track is a reminder of Mac’s multifaceted talent as an intimate storyteller as it compels listeners to reminisce on childlike awe and the concept of growing up, wondering like Mac, “When did life get so serious?”.

Outro

Balloonerism ends with the almost twelve-minute outro ‘Tomorrow Will Never Know’.

It is the most haunting track of the entire album, starting with the recurring motif of children shouting from a playground and ending with the ringing sound of an unanswered telephone.

The song represents how much he was struggling at the time of recording. The unanswered phone is a metaphor for him reaching out with no one being there to help.

The tone of this song feels weightless and otherworldly as if he is embracing his detachment from the physical world. The chorus carries through with the concept of existential curiosity, “Do they dream just like we do?”.

The title summarises the overall motif of a life that has ended and will never know the material world of tomorrow.

Overall review

It is fair to say that Balloonerism has united Mac Miller listeners worldwide, with immense gratitude expressed to his estate and family for protecting his IP and enabling his legacy to live on gracefully through sharing his music.

It has offered us a glimpse into his psychology during a time of immense hardship; it is morbid and abstract but is evidence of the dazzling legacy he has left behind.

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