BM5's May 2023 Favorites

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

Top 5 Recommended Music Videos

"WTF (Where They From)" by Missy Elliott feat. Pharrell Williams
It's been 10 years and she's back with an amazingly catchy comeback! If you don't know who Missy Elliott is, then let me explain why this is a big deal, aside from the decade long gap in her music career. Back in the day, this fine lady was one of the most influential female rappers of the 90s who was clearly ahead of her time with her fashion and music style. This newest video featuring Pharrell easily picks up where she left off 10 years ago without missing a beat. The beat and chorus is super catchy and it's hard not to get turned up from the fire that's being delivered. This is a great marriage of 90's and 2010s styles of Missy into one video while still being ahead of its time.



"Gold" by Chet Faker
Sometimes YouTube suggests some amazing things when you're watching other stuff and this is one of them. I've never heard of this artist in my life, but I'm happy that this video came into view for me. It's a smooth, sensual, down low dance track that isn't loud with its melody or have commanding lyrical delivery. It's sensual and smooth with beautifully choreographed and cleverly shot music video. Seemingly filmed in one take, I felt nostalgic watching these lovely ladies saunter and dance on rollerskates down this lonely road. It might not be perfectly synced, but it's successfully alluring and I'm tempted to learn such choreography on a new pair of blades.



"THEREFORE" by G.E.M.
Continuing her expansion of her diverse catalogue, this video doesn't stray from highlighting G.E.M's talents as an artist. With a bold and sharpened color palette, the visuals are elegant and perfectly theatrical. I enjoyed the simple and symbolic storytelling between the singer and the masked man. It's just enough to fit the tone of the lyrics and the sorrowfully upbeat and slightly conflicted music. Also, G.E.M's vocals remain confident and beautiful. She doesn't strain for the overdramatically vocal moments where the singer usually belts out their best Mariah Carey, but it sounds out of place or show off-y. It's a beautiful track that makes you want more and I'm happy to hear more from this talented woman.



"SECRET No.03" by Mejibray
In my eyes, this band has been pretty hot in the visual kei scene and for very good reason. In my opinion, they give me a similar sense of excitement as I felt when I first listened to the GazettE. This PV stays true to the band's visuals of style, sexiness, and individuality. I like how each little scene gives us a glimpse of each member's' personalities, while uniting them as one during the chorus. The song is just as fun and enjoyable as the visuals and it makes me want to join in their chaos.



"Eat" by Zion.T
If you haven't gotten on the Zion.T(rain), what are you waiting for?! This soft, but simply sweet song will definitely win you over. Turn the captions on and read these lovely lyrics of care. The delivery of these words are just heartwarming and gentle; I can't imagine anyone else singing these lyrics as sincerely as he does. The visuals and melody are simple, but effective. I don't want to spoil the visual story, but it reminds me of another smooth and beautiful music video by Verbal Jint featuring Phantom's Sanchez by the name of "You Deserve Better (Beautiful Enough)", which is a very good thing.