In an interview with Pitchfork, Herring explained, "The album is about the struggle to connect with people, and the struggle to find meaning in life...It's about the tension between the sun and the moon, between light and darkness."

Musically, the album draws on a range of influences, from post-punk pioneers like Joy Division and The Cure to krautrock and electronica. The result is a sound that's both retro-futuristic and timeless.

However, the band members were eager to experiment and push the boundaries of their sound. As Herring explained in an interview, "We wanted to make a record that was more atmospheric and more cinematic...We were listening to a lot of post-punk and krautrock, and we wanted to capture that feeling of space and texture."