Favorite Cover
Eunoia - ReacttotheK
Billlie's album is already one of my favorites of the year so far. Seeing that jazz musicians from ReactotheK did their own rendition made me even more ecstatic. I love what they were able to enhance from the original and I think they had so much fun doing it as well. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
Favorite Live Performances
A Tribute to Pharrell - Tobe Nwigwe
The REFERENCES!!! Okay, to begin, I believe that Tobe is one of the few unique emcees of this time and for him to pay tribute to such a icon of creativity makes total sense. The musical nods they make towards Pharrell's career through the lyrics and even musical arrangement is so on point, I couldn't help but smile the whole way. If Pharrell himself was so amused, it can't be hard to believe that so will you.
Tiny Desk Concert - NIKI
Long followers of my reviews will know that I adore NIKI. One thing that I've always knew was how strong of a songwriter she is. One thing that I've been more critical of, though, are her performances. This is quite the exception, but I'm sure it's due to the setting. This more acoustic, intimate stage makes it so she doesn't have to exert herself to entertain a huge festival crowd. The music really gets to shine here and her vocals along with the band are at the perfect balance. Get a taste of it yourself.
Favorite Sera Ryu EP
Perfect Square - Sera Ryu
Alright, you got me. I just wanted to promote this project, yet for good reason. This EP is, in my humble opinion, the most solid that she's released this year so far out of the three. Each song has many selling points: the haunting nature of "Last Dance", the danceable vibe of "Star Crossed", the vocal layers of "Siren", and the balance of production and singing on "Zoom". Please support an independent artist and I don't think you'll regret it.
Full May 2023 favorites playlist: click here
