Throughout history, across cultures and religions, a ladder has been chosen as the symbol that bridges the spiritual realm and our terrestrial plane, a link between heaven and earth.

Often there are seven steps on this symbolic ladder, each step representing a stage on the ascending

path toward spiritual awakening or divine union.

The most well-known Western tale utilizing the latter symbolism is the biblical story known

as Jacob's Lad latter from the book of

Genesis. It's here that Jacob has a vivid dream in which he sees a ladder on earth

that scales up to heaven with angels descending and ascending upon it. Fast forward to the New Testament and Jesus Christ

fulfills Jacob's dream proclaiming quote hereafter you shall see heaven open

and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man.

Thus it's Jesus that is the symbolic ladder through which Christians ascend to heaven.

On today's episode, we're going to hear Mac Miller's take on the symbolic ladder, And while he'll maintain its use as a tool

for ascension, Mac will offer a different interpretation of what the latter is. It's not Jesus,

but rather the only thing we know for sure that we have right here right now each other.

From Spotify I'm Cole Kushna and this is Dissect, long-form musical analysis broken into short

digestible episodes. Today we continue our serialized examination of Mac Miller's swimming

with its seventh track, Ladders. So, you're Ladders was produced by Pomo and John Bryan and begin somewhat ominously with a looping sample and an arpecheated guitar.

The sample sounds like it might be a piece of a voice singing a low g.

Over this the guitar plays a pattern around a G minor adds six chord immersed in the

somewhat gloomy droning environment. Fittingly, Mack enters the song

singing about finding a way out, perhaps out of this darkness.

So now we got gotta find a way.

No matter how many miles a time.

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