On GoldLink's 2014 debut mixtape The God Complex, the then-20-year-old rapper nailed a difficult balance: soft sounds, hard rhymes. The music—an uptempo mixture of house music and hip-hop signifiers (GoldLink coined the term "future bounce" for it)—offset lyrics full of hypermasculine, purposefully exaggerated sexual boasts and street-savvy narratives. There was something indescribable about hearing the high-voiced rapper spit something like "Dick to the face, might choke" 0ver bubbly champagne synths, and the tape caught on, along with its signature hit "Ay Ay". The Washington, D.C. rapper toured alongside Mac Miller, as well as electronic producers like SBTRKT and Kaytranada. He even caught the attention of Def Jam founder/music visionary Rick Rubin, who has served as a mentor for his debut album, And After That, We Didn't Talk.
And After That, We Didn't Talk is not a significant sonic departure from Link's previous work, but it carries more thematic weight. The album concerns a relationship and subsequent breakup he had when he was 16, but telling a six-year-old story also leaves the door open for very selective memory. The woman in question remains nameless throughout the album, and though he freely talks about a "Que" (with whom she was cheating on Link), an "Allan" (a likely previous boyfriend), and sprinkles other biographical notes, the bigger picture of why this moment and this person matter so much to Link that he dedicated his first studio album to her is often missing.
Instead, And After That communicates GoldLink's state of mind. He is reflective on the opening track, "After You Left", hopeful on "Zipporah", with its gospel chant bridge, "Lord, Lord, I need your help, Lord." The following three songs ("Dark Skin Women", "Spectrum", and "Dance on Me") best encapsulate his hip-hop/dance hybrid sound, and find Link returning to the sexual braggadocio of The God Complex, which is often where he finds the most joy as a writer (listen to his very vivid description of cunnilingus on "Dance on Me").
Toward the album's end, Link ventures into R&B and, at times, completely abandons rapping. He sings about his obsessive love on "Palm Trees", and while it's still unclear why he's obsessed, his pained vocals make you believe. The same emotion comes through on "Polarized" when he sings, "Go down South to Atlanta with your sister and/ I'll fly you myself, if I have to." In that song, all we learn about the subject is that she's a 5'7" model, but Link is convincing enough as a communicator to make up for the lyrical gaps.
And After That, We Didn't Talk is not quite as immediately exciting as its predecessor, which was a burst of aphrodisiac energy. GoldLink feels tugged down occasionally by the story he is trying to tell. As he said in an interview with Pitchfork, "I feel like 99% of niggas lie in they raps; I don't." The literal truths, however, distract from how he expresses them. GoldLink is a total-package artist, someone who does not have to rely entirely on facts to succeed as a rapper. His music works when every element blends together, and And After That, We Didn't Talk is most interesting when he shares only the most vital details from a moment. It's then that he can wring his experiences for their emotions and convey feelings with more than just words.
