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In the track "Miss America", audiences are placed in a hotel room close to JFK airport, as Jennifer Walton learns the devastating news that her dad has illness diagnosis. The UK-raised performer had been touring the US for the first time, playing with group Kero Kero Bonito, when suddenly grief takes over, tinging everything with melancholy. Unsteady piano and hushed strings underscore gothic reports from the tour van: "Cattle farm and broke down shack / Strip-mall, drug deal, panic attacks."

Walton's soft singing come across in a deadpan style, while this album's tension arises from her keen writing—mixing stories, folksy sayings, and direct diary entries—along with surprising rich textures. Few songs recently possess stronger storytelling style compared to "Shelly", a piece that depicts the death of an animal and descends toward a fuel-soaked confrontation, evoking literary pieces illuminated by glimpses of distorted cello. Tense, quiet verses with resonating, plucked guitar transition to expansive choruses, with Walton's vocals digitally manipulated to become a presence omniscient and sinister.

Audiences might already be familiar with the artist from her work as an electronic producer, DJ, and member in groups such as Caroline. The album's sonic turns draw on this diverse career. The opener "Sometimes" erupts in fanfare, like an ensemble taken unawares, while "Born Again Backwards" drastically increases the BPM via an intense, beautiful, looping percussion. Dense layers of audio, skillfully mixed with a longtime collaborator, feel both gnarly and spiritual, while Walton's dark, magical thoughts culminate in highlight "Lambs", a song that momentarily transforms into a twirling jig. "May your life never end in death," Walton pleads, with poignant dark comedy.