These are called the "upbeats" or sometimes "offbeats". The song has staccato musical articulation with upbeats. The album has been mixed by NZ drum and bass producers The Upbeats. After the first verse, the piano also plays chords on the upbeats. It is a muted chord that marks the off-beats or upbeats. The mandolin plays chop chords on the off-beats or upbeats. In Agahu, for example, the rhythm it plays are two notes on the upbeats. As a result, all of the nonchord tones will fall on upbeats.