There was a distinct style floating around the airwaves in 2005, a collective energy that helped define the sound of the mid-2000s. Among the songs on Billboard’s 2005 Year-End Hot 100 singles chart — “Hollaback Girl,” “1, 2 Step,” “Don’t Phunk With My Heart,” “Candy Shop” — was Amerie’s hit single, “1 Thing.” The song fit in with the rest of the list, but its go-go rhythm and funk influence made it unique. It didn’t come from one of the era’s leading voices, but it remains an iconic mid-2000s song.

Needless to say, “1 Thing” was a hard track to follow. Amerie came out with two moderately successful albums — Because I Love It in 2007 and In Love And War in 2009 — plus a few singles and a self-released EP in 2016. Today, she’s surprising us with a new double album, 4AM Mulholland and After 4AM. The project sees Amerie moves on from her poppy past into more low-key R&B and trance arrangements. “1 Thing” sounded perfect in 2005. Now, Amerie’s focused on the future. Stream 4AM Mulholland and After 4AM below.

4AM Mulholland and After 4AM are out now.