Balloonerism

Alright, so here’s the thing—I usually hate posthumous albums. Not in a “meh, not for me” kind of way, but in a “this feels like a cash grab and I hate it” way. Like, unless an artist left behind a detailed plan for what they wanted after they were gone, I just feel like it’s wrong to rummage through their hard drive for scraps and throw together an album. And yeah, I get it—sometimes it’s the label, sometimes it’s the family, but still, it makes me cringe. So, when I heard Mac Miller’s second posthumous album was dropping—seven years after his death—I was fully prepared to roll my eyes so hard I’d see the back of my skull.

But here’s the kicker: Balloonerism? It actually kind of blew me away.

For starters, it doesn’t feel like a posthumous release at all. If you told me Mac was alive and working on this right up until release day, I’d believe you. The production is ridiculous—playful, layered, alive in a way that posthumous albums rarely manage to be. There’s none of that “let’s stitch together unfinished vocals and hope for the best” vibe. This thing is cohesive. It flows. And it’s full of Mac. Like, how did they even have this much material to work with? Did he have a vault somewhere? Was this dude just constantly recording? Whatever the case, it feels like he’s here, steering the whole thing, and that’s the highest compliment I can give.

Take the opener, for example. It’s got this dreamy acoustic vibe that eases you in, but before you know it, you’re knee-deep in these intricate neo-soul grooves that somehow feel both laid-back and hyper-detailed. And the production doesn’t just carry the album—it’s fun. It’s not trying too hard to be “serious” or overly emotional, which is refreshing for a posthumous release. There’s a lot of lightness here, but not in a way that feels cheap. It’s like Mac’s saying, “Hey, I’m still me. Let’s vibe for a bit.”

I’ll admit, I’m not a die-hard Mac Miller fan or anything. I only really got into his music a couple of days ago (don’t judge me—I’m late, but I’m here now), so I’m sure there are layers in the lyrics that longtime fans are catching that totally flew over my head. That said, the instrumentals? Insane. The way this album balances acoustic and electronic elements makes it feel warm and nostalgic, but also fresh. It’s like Mac’s earlier stuff grew up, got a little wiser, but still knows how to have a good time.

I’ve seen people compare this to other posthumous projects, like any thing from Juice’s team, where it’s painfully obvious they didn’t have enough material to make it work. That’s not the case here. Balloonerism feels whole, like a love letter Mac left behind for his fans. Sure, some tracks lean a little too much into a similar vibe, but honestly? It just made my drive home from work feel like less of a chore. If an album can stop me from zoning out and almost merging into a semi-truck, I’m counting that as a win.

So yeah, color me impressed. Balloonerism isn’t just a good posthumous album—it’s a good album, period. It’s got gorgeous production, some killer vocal performances, and it never feels like a cheap attempt to cash in on Mac’s name. If anything, it feels like a celebration of who he was and what he brought to music.

MAC MILLER - BALLOONERISM
RATING - 9.3/10

FAVORITE TRACK - All

GENRE - Jazz, Rap