Mac Miller posthumously released “Circles” on January 17th, 2020. The album was primarily written and recorded in Los Angeles in the years leading up to his devastating death in 2018.
The album features 12 songs with a total runtime of around 48 minutes and 44 seconds. The album was primarily worked on by Miller and his producer Jon Brion, but the sudden death of Miller left it unfinished. Brion finalized it years later, working on it with other contributors like Wendy Melvoin and Matt Chamberlain.
The songwriting is what makes this album so deep and personal. He goes into depth about his struggles with mental health, addiction, and his desire for peace and clarity. The track “Circles” is about wanting to change and make self-improvement but just going back to square one. This is especially devastating when taking into consideration his loss to addiction.
Another factor that makes this album so great is the production. Brion moved away from their traditional rap sound and more into a soft indie sound, blending multiple genres into one. Brion did an excellent job with giving each song an even deeper meaning. Every sound is so clear. Every detail builds to make such a pleasant and intimate arrangement. In the closing track (“Once a Day”), the album perfectly completes itself, really closing the circle.
Overall, this album deserves a 10/10 for its intimate, relatable, vulnerability that gives every listener a different perspective.
