nkei : No
Teaming up vocalist Raizel Gonzales (of Woes fame) and producer Ian Lee (AKA eelnai), R&B duo nkei present a tasteful and emotionally potent take on the genre with their heartbreaking debut single, No.
Gently stripped-down guitars open the track, as Gonzales’ voice enters longingly: “A farewell in the morning / But you wait for me / And I've never met / A gentleman like you,” she croons. These first few moments are immediately arresting, as Gonzales’ pristine voice cutting through with an earnest intimacy. Lee’s restrained yet detailed approach to production perfectly compliments this performance, bringing a distinct colour to each lingering emotion.
As the track discreetly builds with understated layers of bass, drums, and keys, Gonzales’ performance only gets stronger, as she realises her stirring lyrics with a breathtaking performance embellished with gorgeous vocal runs. “And I can't sleep tonight / Waiting for you to make me alright / The way that you speak / Gets me some kinda way,” she sings on the chorus, painting an intimate self-portrait of yearning, loneliness, and heartache.
As the track enters its last quarter, it crescendos into a gorgeous bridge and soaring final chorus. Elegant harmonium and trumpet melodies infuse the track with an uplifting sense of hope, as if to reflect Gonzales’ invigorated infatuation. “I'll never be the same / From the flames you start in me / I, I can't make it stop,” she belts, as it all comes to an end. No’s sensibilities may lean a little close to other contemporaries in its genre at times, but its tastefully exquisite production choices and absolutely stunning vocal performance elevate the pair’s debut to be among the best Singapore R&B currently has to offer.