By: Melissa Croft

Swimming in Circles
1.17.20

Author recommends you listen with headphones in, head to the clouds.

We all know where we were when Michael Jackson died. We remember what we were doing and how we heard the news. The same can be said for the late and great, Mac Miller. I was at work when a fellow employee dropped the bomb.

I refused to believe that this could be more than just celebrity gossip. A TMZ headline never fact-checked. The musical pride of Pittsburgh, Mac Miller soundtracked so many of my middle and high school memories. I was planning on seeing him perform for the first time live in Atlanta for a friend’s birthday the following month.
It seemed impossible to believe that he was just gone.

A canceled tour. No more music to release. Millions of devastated fans.

On January 17, 2020, nearly a year and a half after the release of Mac Miller’s last album Swimming, the world is given Circles.

Miller’s family and his label, Warner Records, posthumously released this final installment of his career just two days before the artist would have celebrated his 28th birthday.

The 12-track album, produced by Jon Brion, opens with an intimate inner monologue on a track by the same name.

In the opening line to Circles, Miller croons, “Well, this is what it look like right before you fall.”

A wave of heartbreak crashes over Mac Miller fans again as they hear his last record for the first time.

The lyrics of the title track (and a statement released on Miller’s Instagram) introduce the concept of Swimming’s companion album.

“Two different styles complementing each other,
completing a circle—Swimming in Circles was the concept.”

Swimming and Circles track-listing — *Swimming* and *Circles* track-listing

Track 2, “Complicated,” transitions into a synth-heavy, yet emotional groove. The bassline and flow will have you vibing along to the bittersweet lyrics.

“I’m way too young to be getting old.”

Mac Miller has a reputation of openly discussing his struggle with mental health.

“Some people say they want to live forever; that’s way too long, I’ll just get through the day.”

Up next, Miller continues to explore his reinvented sound with a flip sample from the 1950’s jazz quartet, The Four Freshmen. The uplifting sound of “Blue World” mirrors the rapper’s growth throughout his artistic journey. His sound was always evolving in the years leading up to Swimming in Circles.

A week ago, a heartfelt single preceded Circles. Miller’s lyrics reflect on the juxtaposing themes from “Swimming: “ his poor mental state vs. self-care and hope.

“It ain’t that bad. There’s a whole lot more for me waitin’...”

The timing of Miller’s accidental death at the apex of both his psychological health and musical career lends to the emotion and significance of this project.

Much more than just a rapper, the artist’s ability to capture true emotion with haunting paradox cuts deep with his fans.

Mac Miller was an anomaly in rap culture. Rather than a braggadocios take on material wealth, his last few projects show a humble man, striving for spiritual happiness and inner peace.

The vulnerability and self-awareness in his art put him atop the pack of today’s creators. His ability to sing about his sadness without extreme heaviness or self-pity further exemplifies his strength and character.

Released alongside Miller’s sixth album was also a collection of music videos and visualizers for each song.

These music videos show the late artist proudly producing this project in the studio at the end of his life. He appears happy and at peace with where he is at on his personal and musical journeys.

Musically, “Hand Me Downs” ft. Baro feels like a natural follow-up to “Dunno,” track 10 off of Swimming.

“I think we might just be alright. Thank God. I think we gonna be alright,” can be heard on Dunno, released a month before Miller’s untimely passing.

The visualizer for the final song, “Once A Day plays,” a loop of YouTube comments of fans responding to the single, Good News, uploaded last week. They range from claims that Mac Miller’s music “saved them” to quotes of his most touching lyrics. Mac Miller’s reach was global and his Most Dope Family will find peace in this album long-after Malcolm is “lost inside the clouds.”

In Loving Memory:
Malcolm ‘Mac Miller’ McCormick
(1992-2018)

Mac Miller - "Circles"