6. “Circles” — Mac Miller

Mac Miller wasn’t the best singer in the world. He didn’t have the most innovative beats or lyrical deliveries. For all that he lacked, though, he made up in the emotion he infused in and conveyed through each song, and he reaffirmed this notion in his posthumous album “Circles.” Throughout the album, Miller details the ways in which depression, drug abuse and past relationships have influenced his life, articulating how all three are interconnected and exploring the ways in which he has responded to them — and he does so in a rather dichotomous fashion. While some of the records advance somber, trickling instrumentals (e.g., “Surf”), others boast jumpy beats full of energizing bass claps and drum, cymbal and piano playing (e.g., “Everybody). In this way, it’s almost as if the beats symbolize the various moods Miller projects through his lyrics, strengthening the album’s appeal. Had Miller shown a bit more command on each track and peppered the album with more diversity of delivery, this album would have ranked higher for me. 

Best Songs: “Blue World,” “Everybody” and “Good News”