Sixteen months after late American rapper, Mac Miller’s, tragic and sudden death, his posthumous album, ‘Circles,’ was released. The completion of his work, by co-writer and friend, Jon Brion, after his passing is the perfect way to let his fans and loved ones say goodbye and pay tribute to him. Nine days before the release of ‘Circles,’ Mac’s parents posted on his Instagram to not only announce the upcoming release, but to discuss their purpose behind completing and releasing his last work. It simply came down to the fact that “it was important to Malcolm for the world to hear it.” They revealed that Malcolm’s goal in creating ‘Circles’ was to release a “companion album to Swimming,” his 2018 album. He wanted to create the concept of “swimming in circles,” with two albums, having two styles that complement each other. And, he did that beautifully.
Hearing the story behind this album and the importance of sharing it with the world makes it even more worth the listen. Malcolm’s parents and team behind this have brought more to the world than just an album release. To remember Mac, his parents took his birth year, 1992, and created the Instagram account, @92tilinfinity, where they post announcements, photos of late Malcolm, and even have created merchandise to remember Mac and share this special album. I’m already getting ready to order this album on vinyl and a hoodie to go with it.
As far as the music goes, this album has a beautiful, soft sound in every song. It is easy to listen to and even easier to love. This is the perfect set of songs to turn on at any time of the day, whether you’re with your friends, studying, driving, resting, or even just when you’re having a moment of self-reflection. ‘Circles’ has exceeded all my expectations. It complements his previous album ‘Swimming’ perfectly, while ‘Swimming’ has more of the traditional rap elements to pair with ‘Circles’ smooth, sing-rap style.
The lyrics of both albums are full of self-reflection and show the graceful transition of Mac finding inner-peace and hope for the future. These emotional lyrics make it difficult to accept the fact that such an amazing artist and human being is no longer with us, however, they are full of reassuring words to help us in coping with this loss. Words of growth, support, and relief. The first track on ‘Circles,’ also named ‘Circles,’ could even be considered a song of reassurance written by Mac for his loved ones after his death. He sings, “do not be afraid / You’re feeling sorry, I’m feeling fine / Don’t you put any more stress on yourself, it’s one day at a time.” Somehow before his death, Mac knew what the world needed to hear. He knew how to say goodbye without even knowing that he needed to, and that makes ‘Circles’ even more special.
Follow @92tilinfinity on Instagram and check out macmillerswebsite.com for updates and merch.
Rating: 10/10
My Top Tracks: “Everybody” “Hand Me Downs” “I Can See” “Blue World”
‘Circles’ is available to stream on all major platforms!
