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Within the song "Miss America", listeners are placed inside a hotel room near JFK airport, as Jennifer Walton receives the devastating update of her father's cancer discovery. The UK-raised artist was traveling America on her initial visit, drumming with indie band Kero Kero Bonito, and abruptly sadness takes over, coloring everything in grey. Unsteady piano and hushed orchestration accompany dark dispatches from the road: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Strip-mall, drug deal, panic attacks."

Walton's soft singing are delivered with a flat manner, yet this record's intensity arises from her keen writing—blending stories, folksy sayings, and direct diary entries—coupled with surprising maximalism. Few songs recently showcase stronger novelistic style compared to "Shelly", which depicts the killing of an animal and spirals toward a petrol-laden confrontation, reminiscent of literary works illuminated by glimpses of warped cello. Tense, quiet sections featuring echoing, strummed guitar move into expansive refrains, and Walton's voice electronically altered into a presence all-knowing and sinister.

Listeners may already know Walton as an electronic producer, DJ, and contributor to bands like Caroline. The album's sonic turns draw on this diverse career. The opener "Sometimes" bursts in flourish, like an ensemble caught by surprise, whereas "Born Again Backwards" radically ups the BPM via a punishing, stunning, looping drum fill. Thick layers of audio, expertly produced by a long-term partner, feel both rough and ethereal, and Walton's dark, magical thinking culminate on standout "Lambs", a song that momentarily becomes a twirling jig. "May your life never end in death," she bargains, with heart-aching gallows humor.