Losing an artist too early is not easy. It’s even harder when that person is Mac Miller: a guy who dedicated his life to the art and helped shape the lives of so many others. His life was one of always giving: to the fans, to his fellow artists, and to the world of hip hop at large. Whether it was helping artists like Vince Staples or Joey Bada$$ get their start in the industry or starting a label to shine a spotlight on local Pittsburgh artists, Mac was always giving back. Circles is no different: conceived as the second part of the Swimming In Circles concept, it follows up on his previous album by searching for answers in how to stay afloat in our day to day lives. It’s meant to give us solace, a little music for those who feel lost in the world surrounding them.
And of course, one can’t ignore the lyrics of depression and struggles that plague Mac on this record. But at the same time, Circles is a different approach to those topics than compared to something like Faces. In a way, the Swimming in Circles concept is an antithesis to Faces. On Faces, there’s inner turmoil over his drug use as a way to cope with his depression. He’s wavering, knowing that his drug use can’t be a permanent solution but seems to be the only viable one. On Circles, Mac comes to terms with his depression a bit better: still ever-looming but slightly more optimistic in how he copes. Circles is about working through depression on a day-to-day basis, taking things slowly, and how to reach the fleeting good days hidden among a sea of bad ones. Mac still doesn’t have the answers but the only way we stop feeling trapped in that vicious cycle of depression is to take things step by step.
Jon Brion’s work here is enchanting: minimalist and light on its feet, Circles works with live instruments and a distinct, almost singer-songwriter relationship with Mac. It feels like a natural extension of Mac’s artistic evolution towards the end of his career: focused on light, jazzy instrumentals where he sings more than he raps. The spacey, arpeggiated synths on songs like “I Can See” feel like inspiration from his Space Migration tour and the electronica themes that followed. The mellow instrumentation highlights the emotion in Mac’s voice: raw and vulnerable but tinted with a hint of optimism.
Despite everything that’s happened, the goofy Mac Miller that he’s always been shines through. The outgoing, charismatic Mac is ever-present in all of his work. And in that persona, there’s always a glimmer of hope. Something for his fans to latch onto and on Circles, maybe a little for himself as well. Depression and emotional pain don’t vanish overnight. But as long as we look forward to something, another day will always come. Mac Miller has always been a guy with a big heart. He gave so much back to his community, to the hip hop industry, and to us, his fans. Through good and bad, struggles and triumphs, there has always been a reason to root for Mac Miller. And though he’s gone and Circles acts as the closing chapter in his career, his legacy will no doubt remain eternal. From 92 ‘till infinity.
