When the term “quiet storm” was coined in the mid-’70s, it signified a particular brand of sensuous R&B infused with smooth jazz. Encompassing the likes of Luther Vandross, Anita Baker, Sade, and others, the genre translated into a radio format for older listeners who were more likely to hold a more sophisticated understanding of romance—as opposed to a flighty and inexperienced sense of “teen love.” But even though she’s only 23 years old, New York artist Amber Mark proves that she can recreate quiet storm’s magic on “What If,” by replicating the genre’s richness in both sound and emotion.

The little details in the track’s production are what make “What If” carry the same sumptuousness of an impeccably embellished slow jam. The song is introduced by a sweeping string arrangement that seems to flutter in mid-air until it’s balanced out by a perfect groove, established by a funk bass, light strums of an acoustic guitar, and flourishes of a distant, new age-y synth. To match the arrangement’s complexity, Mark shares some equally deep musings about love and relationships; “If I never felt heartbreak at all.../Tell me how would I know if it’s love,” she sings, her voice light and breathy. She’s rehashing an age-old sentiment: You have to know pain to understand true happiness. But through the subtleties of her inflection and production, Amber Mark elegantly dresses it up in new shiny satin clothes.