I'm digging the new Nikka CD
and my favorite jam right now
actually is her ballad, "I
gotta know." It's beautiful.

The more I learn about punch-
ing in and out in the studio,
the more I've been able to dis-
cern when someone singing some-
thing continually and when it's
been punched in.

About 3:00 into it, she sings:

"I need to hear you say/I know only time..."

That sounds like two fragments
put together to me. Anybody else
hearing the same deal?

So, I give this a spin.

I am quite certain that the fragment you are talking about has been put together from different takes.
You need to listen in a certain way to be able to tell.

First, the levels aren't even, the 'I kno-ow' part is actually lower in the mix.
Second, they have enhanced that part by doubletracking it. In this song, Nikka's voice has been doubletracked
throughout the choruses (starting with 'Cause I am so strong'). Though I am not sure about the solo-vox in the pre-chorus
(the part you are referring to) - it might or might not be doubletracked - the 'I kno-ow' part definately is. They
either enhanced it by doubling it, or it is a different take altogether, the latter being the most probable. I am not
an expert on breathing-techniques, but I reckon the dynamics are quite difficult to achieve singing 'I need to
hear you say/And I know' the way it sounds on the record.

This is the best song on her album though, and now that I heard various parts of the song about fifty times, I might not
hear this album again until early fall 2010.

Ikaros said:

The breathing is what
hipped me to it, too.
Just didn't make any
sense to me, that she
would've breathed in
time to sing that 2nd
part. Thanks much --
and feel free to lis-
ten to it again before
2010. You're right --
that is the best song
on Nikka's album.