After Last Night

Background and release

Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak met in 2017 while touring together on the European leg of Mars' 24K Magic World Tour. In late February 2021, they announced the formation of Silk Sonic on social media and revealed the artwork for their debut studio album, An Evening with Silk Sonic. Mars told Apple Music that "After Last Night" had a lot of Bootsy Collins on it and that Thundercat came in and blessed them, adding that the song was built to be played live and could keep going for 10 minutes. Atlantic Records released it to US urban adult contemporary radio on July 5, 2022, as the fifth single.

Production

The track "After Last Night" was co-written by a large team including Mars, Brandon Anderson, Dernst Emile II, James Fauntleroy, Stephen Bruner, Jonathan Yip, Ray Romulus, Jeremy Reeves, and Ray McCullough II. Mars and D'Mile produced it alongside the Stereotypes, the latter four of the writing group. Mars handled guitar duties, while D'Mile also played guitar, piano, and Rhodes piano. Additional guitar work came from Ella Feingold, and Krystal Miles contributed background vocals.

Thundercat played bass and added guest vocals, joined by Bootsy Collins. The string section featured cellist Glenn Fischbach, violists Jonathan Kim and Yoshihiko Nakano, flutist Ron Kerber, and violinists Emma Kummrow, Luigi Mazzocchi, Natasha Colkett, Blake Espy, Tess Varley, and Chris Jusell. Larry Gold arranged and conducted these strings at Milkboy Studios in Philadelphia, with Jeff Chestek recording. Collins's vocals were captured by Tobe Donohue at Rehab Studio in Cincinnati.

Reeves and Charles Moniz played percussion, and Alex Resoagli played the cabasa. Moniz and Resoagli also engineered and recorded the song at Shampoo Press & Curl Studios. Mixing was done by Serban Ghenea at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach, with John Hanes as mix engineer and Bryce Bordone assisting. Randy Merrill mastered the track at Sterling Sound in New York City.

Composition

"After Last Night" is a funk, neo soul, and R&B slow jam. Its instrumentation includes a subtle electric guitar, and a key change occurs near the end. The song opens with a sensual spoken performance by Krystal Miles while Thundercat plays bass and sings angelically in the background, his tender ooos described as the sonic equivalent of a rose-colored scarf over a bedside lamp. Later, Mars and .Paak replace Thundercat, both singing about the women they have fallen in love with.

Bootsy Collins contributes amusing lyrics and swanky spoken word. The lyrics describe a woman who is "sweet-sticky/thick and pretty" and able to make a player try on monogamy; Mars and .Paak affirm they will leave their player lifestyle after a pleasurable date. .Paak says he will leave velvet smoking jackets and giant sunglasses and throws away his phone, singing in the second verse, "If I still had my phone I'd call every girl I know/And tell them goodbye," with Mars adding harmonies on the last syllable.

The song is set in C minor at 71 beats per minute, with vocal ranges from G4 to F6. Critics have compared its composition to the Lonely Island's "Dick in a Box" infused with Bootsy-style fantasy sleaze, to early-'90s throwback jams by Mint Condition and Jodeci, and to music reminiscent of Teddy Pendergrass.

Reception

Most reviewers gave "After Last Night" positive reviews. Pitchfork called it one of the highlights of An Evening with Silk Sonic, citing its slathering of elevated technique with satisfying molten cheese. Exclaim! found the track seductive, noting Mars channels his charm from his gut. Under the Radar said it amplifies the seductiveness of Mars's smooth lover-man persona.

NME noted moments of gorgeously subtle flourishes, such as a fluttering intake of breath around the mix. Uproxx described the song as smooth, funky, and chill. HipHopDX praised Thundercat and Collins for peppering the seductive track with their signature touches. Hot Press called the single sexy and credited Thundercat and Collins for its horizontal relaxez-vous action.

Gigwise characterized it as glitzy, glamorous, totally lovestruck, and a sexy slow jam. The Harvard Crimson found the vocals and instrumentation sexy. HotNewHipHop called the track lush, and The Independent described it as sultry. Variety said it is steamy.

In a mixed review, The New Yorker praised Sonic's perfect synchronization but noted the figure outside the spotlight is always close behind with something to add. No Ripcord said the song was the furthest Silk Sonic deviate from their rigid template, adding that Thundercat's aqueous bassline shows a glimpse of what the song could have been.