The upcoming Balloonerism record from late rapper Mac Miller is set to release alongside a short film of the same name, a new announcement says.
Miller’s Balloonerism – the second posthumous album released since his 2018 passing – is scheduled for release on Friday (Jan. 17), though fans can ease themselves into the experience with its accompanying new film.
Based on the lyrics and music of Miller, and directed by Samuel Jerome Mason, the animated Balloonerism “follows a group of school friends who are transfigured by the music of a chord organ and launched into a shadow world”, a synopsis of the film reads. “Swallowed by the turtle of time, they must plod through the underbelly of adulthood.”
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The film is scheduled for a Wednesday (Jan. 15) release throughout the U.S., with international fans receiving it one day later. A series of “One Night Only” advance theater screenings are scheduled around the world, including in New York City and Miller’s native Pittsburgh. Other screenings are planned for Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Ireland, France, Canada, and the U.K.
In keeping with the theme of the new record, tickets are priced at $5 (or the “approximate equivalent in ex-US markets”) in line with the album’s lead single, “5 Dollar Pony Rides”.
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Miller’s Balloonerism album has been the subject of fan speculation for over a decade now, with the rapper having recorded it around the time of his 2013 album Watching Movies with the Sound Off and follow-up mixtapes, Delusional Thomas and Faces. Following the circulation of leaked songs amongst fan communities, the record’s official release was teased with a trailer at November’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival.
“We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist,” they added. “Given that unofficial versions of the album have been circulating 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.”
Last week, “5 Dollar Pony Rides” was shared ahead of the album’s arrival and features Miller’s close friend and collaborator Thundercat helping out on the production side of things.
