Outsideness’ ...THEN AFTER? Brings R&B, Rock and Electronic Music Together in Unexpected Ways

Outsideness' ...THEN AFTER? is the second album from Freidrich$ and Azalias, with the duo taking the skeletal R&B and outsider-art approach heard on ...From What? and expanding it through rock, acoustic songwriting, UK garage, drum and bass, IDM and experimental pop. The record does not keep those styles separate, since many of the songs constantly transition between acoustic guitars, piano, electronic percussion and much larger arrangements across the same track. Those changes are used by Freidrich$ as a way to make the production feel increasingly unpredictable, while Azalias’ vocals remain the main point of continuity as the vocal delivery goes from being restrained to conversational passages and what feels like bigger performance moods. Tracks such as Alright, Freedom, Container, Haunt, Got Me, La Jetée, Dance, Water and Hold all approach those ideas differently, with some tracks starting out with more intimate notes before developing into denser or more electronic- focused tones. The album feels more melodic and ambitious compared to its predecessor, without being void of its rougher edges, abrupt transitions and unusual structures that have become an integral part of Outsideness' sound ...Then After? follows naturally from ...From What?, with the first album questioning where the collaboration came from and the second looking at what the project can become next.

The Song Structures Across ...THEN AFTER?

The song structure across ...THEN AFTER? plays a crucial role in how the album develops, since many of the tracks introduce new instrumental and rhythmic elements as they progress. Alright begins with a more restrained vocal performance from Azalias before the production gradually builds around it. This allows the later sections of the track to come across as being fuller without losing the intimacy that was present in its opening. Freedom develops a steady progression through acoustic guitar notes before stronger rhythms, harmonies and additional sounds come layered in during the track’s second half. Container, on the other hand starts out with a more minimal sounding electronic section, while the fuller bass-led arrangement comes in later. These changes across each track help give each song more time to develop, especially since the production keeps bringing in new elements to complement the vocals and the melodies.

The tracks heard later in the album also take on that approach in different ways as Dance, Water and Hold show how the arrangements can shift without losing the main vocal focus across each track. Dance begins with a softer acoustic sound before the rhythm picks up in pace, resulting in a faster repeating pattern before slowing back down and returning to the track's familiar ballad structure. Water follows a smoother progression since the arrangement gradually starts to feel fuller with the bass taking on a stronger role towards the end. Hold, however has a more subdued approach in the way the track leads into Azalias' vocals, resulting in them becoming more pronounced during the song's closing section. Across these songs, the production changes are used to add more depth to each track, while still ensuring the vocals and melodies remain key to how the arrangements continue to develop.

Azalias' Vocal Performance Across ...THEN AFTER?

Azalias' vocal performance adds more ...THEN AFTER?, especially by showing emotional consistency since each track has not been approached with the same level of force and depth. On Alright, the vocals sound more restrained before layered harmonies and a fuller delivery comes through as the track develops, allowing the emotion in the song to build alongside the progression in the production. Got Me adds more space to the melody, allowing her vocals to be the central focus of the track while Water focuses more on vocals that sound like conversations, with smaller changes in tone becoming a key part of how the song is communicated. Therefore, Azalias' vocals across the album can sound intimate in one track and section, but hold more depth in another without losing the personality that carries those feelings across the record.

That range in vocals can also be heard across Hold, where the song's closing sections give Azalias' voice more room and space to feel fuller and hold a more emotional feeling following the song's quieter start. Freidrich$ uses acoustic guitar, piano, electronic percussion and denser electronic sections to complement her voice, but even then, Azalias' vocals shine through with a strong recognizable vocal presence even when those instrumental sounds change considerably. The way she phrases lyrics is also important since the vocals do not simply just follow the production; they help determine how personal or expansive each section feels. Across tracks such as Alright, Got Me, Water and Hold, the difference between softer passages, conversational lines and stronger vocal sections gives the album another point of continuity beyond its production choices.