Mac Miller: Swimming (2LP) [WARNER]

Why you'll love it

Swimming debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and earned Mac a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. Jon Brion, Dev Hynes, Thundercat, Flying Lotus and J. Cole all had a hand in it, and "Self Care" and "Small Worlds" are fan favourites to this day.

This edition

• 2LP set, 13 tracks over four sides
• REMember Music / Warner pressing

About the album

Mac Miller was always open about his troubles, which is why so many reviews of 2018's Swimming remarked on how honestly and constructively he appeared to be working through them, including the lingering heartache of a recent, high-profile breakup with Ariana Grande.

Swimming turned out to be the last album the rapper born Malcolm James McCormick would put out during his 26 years on the planet. It's a fine way to be remembered: Miller's open-heartedness is endlessly engaging here, while the woozy, rubbery funk production underpinning his rhymes keeps things chugging along at an appropriately dogged pace to match the "I will get through this, dammit" tone of the lyrics. Thundercat's bass, Jon Brion's string arrangements and Dev Hynes' touches all make it sound as good as it feels.

Also at Kops: more Mac Miller on vinyl · browse Hip Hop / R&B

Tracklist

Listen

On REMember Music / Warner (cat# 1571455), first out in 2018.