Mac Miller, also known as “Easy Mac with the Cheesy Raps,” capitalized in his teenage years as a party rapper with chorus-driven songs of low lyrical depth like “Nikes on my Feet” and “Donald Trump.”
On his latest free-for-download effort, “Faces,” released on Mother’s Day, Miller continued his development as a musician and self-conscious rapper, highlighted by mature production and lyrical content, where he delves more into his struggle with drug addiction, personal relationships and depression.
The 24-track mixtape is like an introduction to the new chapter in Miller’s career, one that has him producing his own music with a wide range of sounds, from ambient jazz samples (“Here We Go,” “Rain”) to mellow, bass-heavy drums (“Polo Jeans,” “Diablo”) to church organ heavy beats (“What Do You Do,” “New Faces”). Through all the faces Miller shows of himself, from boasting how cool it is to hang out with him (“Therapy”) to revealing his heavy dependence on drugs and his depression (“Rain,” “New Faces”), Miller shows he’s in the music industry to make the music he wants and feels, a pleasure an independent artist like Miller has.
“Faces” continues the growth of his second studio album, “Watching Movies With the Sound Off,” where he talked about depression and his stance in the music industry as an independent artist. He also started producing his own music, which helped him stray from the party-rap sound he rose to prominence with.
“Faces” is a long project to endure at more than an hour-and-a-half long, but you are bound to find a face of the 22-year-old you will enjoy looking at.
[A version of this story ran on page 11 on 5/29/2014 under the headline "Mac Miller’s New ‘Faces’"]
