The late Mac Miller‘s unreleased 2014 album Balloonerism will finally see the light of day on Jan. 17. The artist, who died of a drug overdose in 2018, shelved Balloonerism during a period when he released the free mixtape Faces and a proper 2015 studio album, GO:OD AM, which served as his major-label debut for Warner Bros. Records.
Miller’s estate says Balloonerism “is a project that was of great importance” to him, “to the extent that he commissioned artwork for it and discussions concerning when it should be released were had regularly, though ultimately GO:OD AM and subsequent albums ended up taking precedence.”
“We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist,” the estate’s statement continued. “Given that unofficial versions of the album have circulated online for years and that releasing Balloonerism was something that Malcolm frequently expressed being important to him, we felt it most appropriate to present an official version of the project to the world.”
The album was teased on video screens before Tyler, the Creator’s set last weekend at Camp Flog Gnaw in Los Angeles in the form of an animated trailer, which features clips of the songs “5 Dollar Pony Rides” and the SZA-assisted “The Song That Changed Everything.”
Balloonerism can be pre-ordered in a variety of formats from Miller’s website. Its release date is two days prior to what would have been the artist’s 33rd birthday.