Posthumous Mac Miller album, Circles, due next week

Next Friday, will see the release of the first posthumous Mac Miller album, titled Circles, his family announced today.

In a statement posted on the late rapper's Instagram account, his parents wrote that Circles will positioned as "a companion album" to the final album released during his lifetime, Swimming.

"At the time of his passing, Malcolm was well into the process of recording his companion album to Swimming, entitled, Circles,'" the post reads. "Two different styles complementing each other, completing a circle — Swimming in Circles was the concept."

Miller's parents also explained how producer Jon Brion — a cerebral musician who has worked with Kanye West and Fiona Apple, among many others — worked with Miller and played a key role in the difficult task of completing a posthumous album.

"After his passing, Jon dedicated himself to finishing Circles based on his time and conversations with Malcolm," Miller's parents wrote. "We are eternally grateful to Jon and to those who gave their best to the difficult and emotional task of putting out this body of work."

His parents concluded by acknowledging the difficult of completing and releasing a posthumous album. "This is a complicated process that has no right answer... We simply know that it was was important to Malcolm for the world to hear it." They also wrote they hope the album will be viewed "meaningfully while keeping sacred what should be kept sacred."

Miller, whose real name was Malcolm McCormick, Miller died on Sept. 7, 2018 of an accidental overdose. An autopsy found that he had fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol in his system; two men were arrested in connection with his death last autumn.