Mac Miller gives a final goodbye on the unfinished ‘Circles’

After a year and a half, the family of beloved rapper Mac Miller has decided to release “Circles,” Miller’s sixth studio album that he had been working on prior to his death in 2018. Intended to be a companion album to Miller’s wildly successful previous record, “Swimming,” “Circles” continues Miller’s discussion of themes like depression, personal growth and pushing through life’s hardships. And while “Circles” once again provides a beautifully honest and raw introspective look into Miller’s troubled mind, its repetitiveness keeps it from reaching the high standard that his past works have set.

When listening through “Circles,” the aspect that immediately stands out is its one-dimensionality in mood and tempo. Compared to his last hit album “Swimming,” where there were funky uptempo tracks like “Ladders,” atmospheric empowering songs like “Self Care” and beautifully soft and somber tracks like “2009,” each song off “Circles” seems to consistently recreate the experience of moping around during an overcast day. Listening from song to song doesn’t provide that much of a new experience, making the album feel a little dry. The tempo of most songs are also very similar to each other — following a slow and careful vibe. And while this is fitting for an album whose message is centered around depression and making it through life, it doesn’t necessarily improve the listening experience as a whole. 

The repetitiveness of this album extends into its central themes as well. I understand the intent of this album was to expand upon “Swimming” by underscoring the theme of “swimming in circles”; however, to me, this just means the same themes presented in “Swimming” are reiterated here. Because of this, “Circles” comes off as relatively flat. It is clear that Mac was still battling demons and this fact bleeds through the songs and lyrics on this album.

Finally, because of all this repetitiveness, the album lacks a bona fide hit song. “Swimming” had “Self Care,” “The Divine Feminie” had “God Is Fair, Sexy Nasty” and “GO:OD AM” had “Weekend,” but “Circles” is left without any standout tracks that would compel listeners to return to the album. Without the proverbial knockout-punch song, the album just feels incomplete. 

The album is not all bad, though. In particular, “Woods,” “Complicated” and “Surf” prove to be bright spots, adding soothing tunes, funky beats and beautifully simple singing, respectively. Additionally, as a more experimental work from Miller, “Circles” is definitely not your stereotypical rap album, and in many regards, I would argue that it doesn’t even fall into any particular genre at all. Complete with Mac’s usual jazzy and funk twists, this album also features unique instruments such as the kazoo, giving the record a soulful flair. The sound profile is refreshingly simple in today’s overproduced hip-hop world and helps “Circles” stand out from other works.

As one of the biggest Mac Miller fans out there, I wanted so badly for this work to be an amazing, heartfelt send-off, but it doesn’t really feel like that. Maybe I’m being too harsh on a project that is technically unfinished, and maybe I’m subconsciously putting it in an unfair comparison against Mac’s previous project “Swimming,” but “Circles” isn’t the wonderful final culmination many fans may have hoped it would be. Despite a world-class producer in Jon Brion, the songs and messages don’t feel as dynamic or deep as past ones, and it’s obvious that “Circles” was unfinished.

Although “Circles” wasn’t the way I imagined I’d last hear from Mac, his legacy remains strong in my mind. He was one of the early pioneers of vulnerable rap and helped many people, including myself, make it through the inevitable struggles of life. He saw all the negative things in life and, with incredible courage and bravery, looked them right in the eye and stood strong. In many ways, his music embodied the human experience — complete with pain, happiness, sadness, love and everything in between. Despite a relatively disappointing finish to his career, in my eyes, Mac Miller will forever live on as an iconic rap legend. Rest easy, Mac — you deserve it.