Ifan Dafydd - No Good

01. No Good
02. Miranda

The release of No Good is eerily timed, as it features heavy samples of a recently deceased and very talented modern British soul/jazz singer. The synth (a muted clavi by the sounds of things) and the use of multiple harmonies and pitch shifting on the vocals—not to mention the stirring minor chord melody—is very reminiscent of James Blake's "Footnotes." Regardless, it's a beautiful, plodding track with the sort of structure that adds layers until the point of suffocation and then breaks it all back down.

"Miranda" is the real joy here. Decidedly more upbeat, it features a sample of a well-known '90s pop R&B tune that cheerily rises up and up thanks to a gorgeous piano line that's in a similar vein to James Brown & Dee Felice Trio's version of "Sunny." The snapping beat is a mix of clicks and pops and ends up sounding almost like a Funky version of a Jive tune.

The debate rages online that Ifan Dafydd is James Blake. The person who sent me this record assures that the two are friends and any comparison is flattering. Gilles Peterson, Jamie xx, Oneman and Kutmah are all giving this single the thumbs up. The mystery, right now, is a vexing one. What we do know for sure, though, is that whoever is behind this is a master craftsman (or woman) behind the boards...www.residentadvisor.net