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Dunno

The tenth track from Swimming , which is one of my personal favourites, is titled Dunno . It has such a laid back and relaxing feel to it, it’s just one of those songs where you can put on at any time and instantly feel like you’re travelling through another dimension, where everything is perfect. Personally, in any situation where I feel overwhelmed with stress or anxiety, I listen to Swimming as a whole, but this track is my absolute go-to to calm me down, and not once has it served me wrong. Despite the feeling and endorphins that the music gives to the listener, the lyrics of Dunno are actually quite saddening, and the song is widely considered to be largely dedicated to Ariana Grande. Other songs on the record are often cryptic, leaving listeners and fans in the dark and wondering who the lyrics are about, whereas on Dunno, it’s made quite clear that Mac has wrote it about Ariana. Mac is reminiscent of times where she was around, and he was care-free of what was going on in the wo...
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Conversation Pt.1

Now comfortably past the halfway point in Swimming , we come to a stage in the album where Mac enters a more experimental episode, as is demonstrated and displayed throughout Conversation Pt.1 . This is argued to be one of the songs on the album with a deeper meaning, and can be quite heavy. Another factor that helps grant this song its legendary status throughout Mac’s fanbase is the fact that it is now highly unlikely, unless it was recorded before his passing, that we will ever hear a Conversation Pt.2, where we get to look at things from another perspective. On this track, Mac Miller takes a step inside his own head, and the song encapsulates that feeling almost impeccably.  He gives us the feeling that he is having a conversation with someone else, talking about himself, and almost encouraging the other party to make something useful of themselves with their life. People always talk about their life and plans, and what they would do if they had X amount of money or fame, but v...

Ladders and Small Worlds

Considering that throughout this blog we have already analysed six songs off of into Mac Miller’s album Swimming , it is noticeable that despite having somewhat of a recurring theme, the album is very unique in the sense that every song sounds different and can still relate back to the main topic. That topic being Mac metaphorically swimming and keeping his head above the waters surrounding him. This blog will look at the 7 th and 8 th tracks from the album, Ladders and Small Worlds . These are two of the more popular singles off Swimming, with each amassing upwards of 100 million streams on Spotify alone.   Ladders was released as one of the lead singles for Swimming prior to its drop in August 2018. One thing about Mac that was very clear was his obsession and passion for music, along with his determination on being a musician, and the best he can possibly be. Ladders is essentially based around his constant desire to improve and metaphorically climb as high as possible, in t...

Self Care and Wings

Further into Swimming, we discover more information on not only the current situation of Mac’s life, but more about his feelings and emotions at the time surround the making of the album. The fifth track on Swimming is called Self Care , and is the lead single from the album. Since it’s release, it has amassed over 380 million streams on Spotify alone. It does become evident as to why Self Care is so popular from its first listen, as it can be classed into numerous genres, which all suit Mac’s general fanbase, as well as having that ever-present, yet unique touch that only he could provide to a song. Self Care begins with an intriguing intro, initially leaving you wondering what direction the song is going to. It leads into the beat dropping for the first time and diving straight into the chorus and in the first verse is where we hear a clever use of wording once again, ‘ Swear the height be too tall/So like September I fall ’. So initially, Mac is talking about trying to climb over ...

Swimming by Mac Miller II

As we dive deeper into Swimming , no pun intended, more sounds are uncovered and played, leading to different moods. No two songs provide the same feeling, which I personally believe is another factor that makes this album so special. What’s the Use? is the name of the third song off Swimming, which has all the traits of hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s, while perfectly pulling off the modern touch which Mac has been able to add to it. There are also some notable features on this track, notably Thundercat, who provides the bass guitar throughout the song, and also Snoop Dogg with backing vocals. The synthesiser at the beginning of What’s the Use? is reminiscent of outer space, with its calming aura. The drums then break in, along with Thundercat’s bass and soon after Mac’s chorus, and it becomes instantly impossible to not feel uplifted. What’s the Use? is by far one of the more upbeat and feel-good songs off Swimming. The actual lyrics to this song do generally suit the vibe and Mac t...

Swimming by Mac Miller

From as long as I can remember, music has always played a big role and been a big part of my life. The radio in my house’s kitchen was constantly playing since I was no age, and my entire family have always been interested in music. I suppose it only makes sense that I’ve had such a fondness of it myself ever since. One thing that I always was fascinated by was hip hop and rap music, and ever since I was about 10 or 11 I’ve been discovering new styles and artists from that genre in particular. Around 2017 I discovered Mac Miller through YouTube rabbit holes and instantly became a fan. I found that I was able to relate to Mac’s music, as well as him as a person. In August 2018, Mac Miller released Swimming , which unfortunately turned out to be his final release before his sad passing the following month. I remember my first listen to it on its release and being blown away, it instantly became one of my favourite pieces of music, and to this day it remains that way. Swimming begins wi...