Described by Marr as the most "cathartic" songwriting process of his career, the album captures the frantic motion, tension, and creative electricity of modern city life. It was written in London, developed live while touring the East Coast of North America, and recorded in Manchester.
Lyrically and conceptually, it explores the themes of perception and cultural overwhelm brought on by technology, contrasting that anxiety with a sense of open-ended possibility. Marr summarized the record's sonic palette to NME as "emphatic, guitar-y, catchy, British indie". He noted his recent listening influences included old-school ambient artists, Boards of Canada, Fontaines D.C., and Gorillaz.