Now Open: The Sonic Gallery

Greetings visitor,

Do you still remember the feeling when you look at a piece of art at a gallery, and it speaks directly to your soul?

I was at the Jean Michel Basquiat exhibition recently, and while I’m no expert in neo-expressionism, it got me thinking about every piece of art I’ve seen. Wouldn’t it be so cool to have more galleries where people experience lyrical music on its own, and not just as accompanying background to art exhibits?

I have yet to experience a good music exhibition, but in the meantime, here are some songs that feel so profound, they belong to an experiential museum.

You ready? Grab a pair of audio headsets and come experience our very own listening gallery, right here. 🖼️

Yours,

Val ♫

(P.S If you are reading this in your email, please click “Read Online” at the top-right corner next to the date for a better reading experience!)

In this week's setlist:

• 📸 Cover Art Expressions

• 📝 Verses That Speak Volumes

• 🎈 Album of the Week: Balloonerism by Mac Miller

• 🔁 This Week’s Songs on Repeat

• 🎶 New Music This Week

📸 Cover Art Expressions

More often than not, it’s not just about listening to music, it’s about the visual experience, too. From collecting your first vinyl, to seeing an album cover teaser before the music drops, or understanding the underlying themes that make a song — art becomes a multifaceted sensory expression.

Here are some gorgeous cover art that deserves a spot in the gallery:

• Starving by Alexa Louise

• rain by mxmtoon

• Let It Rain by Valley

• Panic Attack by Halsey

📝 Verses That Speak Volumes

Much like an old manuscript or an intriguing piece of art, music reveals so much more — they’re lyrical portraits that deliver emotions you can feel, but never quite name.

Step into the listening room and hear these stories unfold:

• Still… by Sophia James

• Lion and the Beggar (Intimate) by Parisian

• truth by jupiterkid

🎈 Album of the Week: Balloonerism by Mac Miller

Warner Records released the late Mac Miller’s second posthumous studio album over the weekend, and it’s easily a gallery of its own.

Balloonerism is a collection of unreleased works recorded between his albums Watching Movies with the Sound Off (2013) and Faces (2014). Some consider this album to be Mac Miller's "lost tape," buried amidst the sea of works that followed the rapid influx of creative ideas Malcolm was experiencing in the early 2010s.

Now, fans and avid listeners are finally given a glimpse into the "what could have beens", and into Mac's artistic journey during that era.

What sets this album apart from the rest of his works is its boundless and limitless exploration of synths. The album leans heavily into synth-driven, syncopated soundscapes, creating an otherworldly atmosphere that feels new and yet relevant, even almost a decade since it was produced. The slow, mindful experimental beats also create a dream-like state of mind that lingers long after every track ends.

As a new admirer of Mac Miller’s artistry, I’m blown away by the world-building in every track. I feel like I’m being transported to various places in Malcolm’s Wonderland.

The album cover also complements the whimsical vibe of the songs. Created by surrealist artist Alim Smith, whom Mac personally reached out to and commissioned, the artwork features a giant balloon shaped like an abstract version of Mac’s head, held by a small, black silhouette.

Overall, Balloonerism symbolises Mac’s free-spirited state of mind and cryptically predicts his detachment from life’s realities in his last moments on earth, ascending beyond grace instead of falling from it.

Step into the media installation room and lose yourself in this 59-minute show — listen to Balloonerism here.

P.S. I also wrote about my listening session and how I’ve made sense of each track on Substack! Check it out here.

🎼 Lyric of the Week

🔁 This Week’s Songs on Repeat

I’m on a whimsical escapade, and this week’s earworms are making me float upwards like my body is filled with helium.

Here are some groovy beats I can’t get out of my head:

• Death & Romance by Magdalena Bay

• 5 Dollar Pony Rides by Mac Miller

🎶 New Music This Week

Comets by Ben&Ben: The subdued electric guitar and distant echoes give this song a dreamy, faraway feel, as if the melody is drifting into the atmosphere from another world.

Jatt Mehkma by Yo Yo Honey Singh: Bollywood meets the streets of Brooklyn in this hip-hop piece — it’s giving major drip.

manila to LA by Paolo Sandejas: The upbeat energy of this song makes it feel like the two cities are just a scenic two-hour drive apart. I like how it’s got an indie rock side, while maintaining a laid-back, relaxed tone.

Inspired by this week’s music picks?

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