Mac Miller - Swimming

Since the early 2010's, I've honestly tried.  I've tried multiple times to casually enjoy Mac Miller.  And time and time again, I really haven't gotten that far.  His 2011 debut album "Blue Slide Park" is abysmal.  While I actually don't hate some of the production here and there, and some of the beats under different circumstances may not have been terrible, Mac is just insufferable.  For the entirety of this 46-minute album, Mac comes off so snot nosed and bratty, and absolutely obnoxious.  He was the embodiment of that kid that no one liked but had plenty of money to throw down to buy Pot and that's why you hung out with him, and Mac seemed to love that.  Mac, however, did come back with a much better album in 2013 with "Watching Movies with the Sound Off".  Now, this obviously isn't as groundbreaking as some other rap albums in 2013.  But Mac seemed to grow by leaps and bounds here.  I mean, overall I wasn't absolutely gushing about this album, and time after time Mac just kept writing so many bars that were just so freakin' cheesy.  But tracks like "I'm Not Real", "The Star Room" and "Red Dot Music" painted Mac in a new light.  These tracks were tortured and depressive, and incredibly dark.  They painted Mac as lonely and painted him as so much more as some guy who really REALLY loved weed.  Mac continued to pleasantly surprise me with 2015's "GO:OD AM".  This was a genuinely classy Art Rap and Jazz Rap album.  Even back when Mac was much more obnoxious and annoying, he had a keen ear for production, and it came full circle in a big way here.  There were fantastic features from Ab-Soul and Miguel, murky bangers like "Break The Law", genuinely depressive tracks like "Perfect Circle/God Speed", and honestly a lot more to really dig here.  Now, Mac really tried to make another very classy, Jazzy album with 2016's "The Divine Feminine".   And there's certainly some really great stuff to dig here.  The production is ultra classy, and there are some really fantastic guests here too (we're looking at you Anderson .Paak).  But Mac on this album literally hadn't sounded this truly goofy in years.  Did I mention this was an album that showed Mac singing most of the time?  It wasn't pretty. So, it's been a few years since we've heard from Mac.  And from the sound of these singles, he's getting jazzier, more soulful, and artsier by the second.  Some of them are actually seriously some of his better tracks in years, others, have me scratching my head a little still.  Let's talk about this new Mac Miller my friends.

This album starts off with “Come Back To Earth”, and to be honest, instantly I’m so impressed with just how much Mac’s singing has come along.  Like, his last album was ridiculously cheesy.  But here, Mac sounds just so classy, and I love the very hazy production here and the soulful sound of it all.  And some of the little details like those very woozy synths and the shimmering atmosphere are fantastic.  Not only that, I have to tell you, I can’t remember the last time I heard Mac sounding so focused and mature.  This is actually a really great intro that brings in the sounds of this album nicely.  The very classy beats of this album roll on with “Hurt Feelings”, a much heavier tune.  I mean, it’s not exactly heavy, but there’s certainly much more of a beat here.  Not to mention, the production here is absolutely brilliant.  Mac’s always had such an ear for production and beats, and here is no different.  Now, Mac’s rapping is certainly not for everyone, and there are a few moments where he comes off a little obnoxious still.  But the overall very smooth flows here and the classy beat makes this one work wonders.  But I have to say, this is also the dreariest and most depressed and emotional we’ve heard Mac in ages, and I love it  Like, I’m almost getting an Earl Sweatshirt vibe, and I love it.  On the other hand, “What’s The Use?” is a shot out of left field that I really didn’t see coming.  This one is funky and has a seriously slick bass line.  And damn, Mac pulls off this incredible swagger here that I really can’t deny at all, like what happened to that young kid who aggravated me beyond belief?  These are some of his most confident bars in general, and I love the sort of throwback feel in this beat. This is overall just a really fantastic single that really stands out wonderfully.  Not to mention, Mac is showing some serious charisma here.   On the other hand, “Perfecto” is a much more whimsical track.  But this is the first time on the album that I really don’t know what the fuck Mac is doing.  This is a super woozy beat that’s actually really tough to wrap my head around.  And Mac’s verse is just such a gigantic backstep.  Hell, he sounds dank and literally sounds like he doesn’t give two shits about this track.  It’s moments like this that really make me rethink Mac and this entire album.  Even that last little monologue is half-baked, ugh.  However, “Self Care” does reel me back in quickly.  I love just how murky and dark this one is, it’s just so dreary.  I actually really love when Mac is on his more artsy side, he really does have a fantastic ear for interesting beats.  The sung hook here is so intoxicating and enjoyable, and his verse here is so much more confident.  As far as a low-key banger goes, this one is really just about as good as it gets.  Mac is much more back on his introspective side, and he’s really reflecting on himself a lot which is an interesting sort of change of pace for Mac.  I really don’t have anything bad to say about this.  And even though I do feel like so far maybe I would have liked to hear a guest spot or 2, Mac’s holding himself nicely.  However, the real story is just how classy this comes off, to the point where I’m actually blown away.  All of a sudden this practically becomes this Cloud Rap banger, and it’s beautiful.  Say what you will about Mac Miller, but when he’s on, he’s on. 

This album rolls on with “Wings”.  A lot of these very dreary, sort of Jazzy, low-key beats continue to remind me so much of Earl Sweatshirt’s work still.  But it’s got that deeply depressed, fuck the world attitude.  And honestly, Mac does this very somber track so much justice.  There are some really great small details like the twinkling synths, and the jazzy saxophone floating out of reach.  It’s also an incredibly dreamy tune and has a lot of the same qualities that the new Travis Scott album has.  These beats just sound completely alive and are just so psychedelic and interesting.  All around, this track is brilliant.  On the other hand, “Ladders” has the same sort of dreary, hazy beat that we’ve been hearing plenty of.  Mac’s performance here is much more snappy, however, and sadly I’m really not that into it.  In the first minute, Mac just seems like he’s trying to get his footing and he just can't.  Thankfully, things eventually do pick up.  There are some funky synths, and some really great, jazzy grooves.  And when those horns come blaring in and Mac starts really letting loose, this one really picks up nicely.  It’s so crazy to realize though that this is the same guy that was just so obnoxious years ago.  “Small Worlds” sadly continues to make me really have some mixed feelings about this album though.  Once again, this beat is just so classy and works well with Mac’s sort of artsy style.  However, his performance here isn’t as interesting at all.  It’s repetitive, and honestly just annoying.  Hell, it’s even just obnoxious at times, which is something I really haven’t felt here.  Most of the tracks we’ve gotten here so far have been legitimately well written and seriously make you think.  But this is just so much quaint bullshit that you know he threw this together in minutes.  And what the hell is up with all of the vocal inflections here, they’re not him at all.  But as long as Mac continues to dish out tracks like “Conversation Pt. 1”, I’m going to tune in to his albums.  This is a very dark, dreary, conversational Rap tune, no pun intended.   But man, Mac is back into his soul-searching mode, and it’s deep man.  And I know that this one is getting a lot of praise from people.  And honestly, it’s for a good reason.  It’s moments like this that it’s just getting so obvious that Mac isn’t going for Pop hits or club bangers, just the opposite.  This is practically a spoken word piece, but it’s honestly hypnotic and really intriguing.  And like I said, Mac brings up a lot of very deep topics.  I don’t have anything bad to say about this one, and I love that very dreary, Jazzy finale so damn much.  But come on.  Come on Ma.  It’s tracks like “Dunno” that have me shaking my head.  Mac’s performance went from depressive and emotional to half-baked and bored.  It’s moments like this that make me want to take everything else I’ve said about Mac and throw it out the window.  For Mac, this doesn’t show any progression.  And not to mention, this beat is easily the weakest of the bunch, I could have made this on an iPhone app. 

I don’t know what’s going on here, but this album continues to spiral out of control quickly.  Mac’s performance on “Jet Fuel” is actually one of his more confident and streamlined of the album.  But this beat is faceless, and the whole faux-reggae feel is absolutely laughable.  Like I said, Mac sounds great.  But then we get this thrown together chorus that’s just so boring.  This album may have started as a classy, intelligent Rap album, but I’m quickly being reminded of why Mac used to annoy me so much.  Thankfully, “2009” at least has a sort of elegant beat that I can get behind, as well as some really emotional and beautiful instrumentals.  Hell, this one even has practically a throwback sound that’s really rich and enjoyable.  But once again, I’m iffy on Mac’s performance.  He’s practically mumbling through his verse here, and it's just not flattering.  Not to mention, Mac has to be ultra careful with tracks like this.  The problem is, Mac is certainly more down to earth these days, which is great.  But holy fuck is this track cheesy, he’s walking such a thin line.  Also, earlier Mac was sounding so deep and emotional, and it was pretty cool.  But this is just sappy, and I’m not into it at all.  Now, I have to point how genuinely abstract and weird the finale “So It Goes” is.  Not to mention, for a few minutes Mac is back to being on his more introspective side, which I really love.  There’s almost a little-spoken word feel to this, but Mac makes it work nicely.  My only real issue with this is that there’s no real sense of finality to this.  But Mac does sound confident with this track, and it’s a genuinely left-field finale. 

Rating: 7.3/10

Give A Listen To: “Come Back to Earth”, “What’s The Use?”, “Self Care”, “Conversation Pt. 1”

Least Favorite Track: “Dunno”

Genre: Rap / Jazz Rap

Overall Thoughts:  After being massively disappointed with his last album, this is actually a very nice comeback of sorts for Mac.  As always with him, the beats are very classy and incorporate a lot of elements of Jazz and even some Funk here.  But Mac himself this time around seems so much more level-headed than usual.  More often than not when you really sit and listen to him, it’s wild to think that this guy was the same obnoxious teen that we met ages ago.  Now, in the later moments here Mac does drop the ball with some of his performances, but the bulk of this album is very Solid.