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In this song "Miss America", listeners are placed in a lodging near JFK airport, where Jennifer Walton learns the devastating update of her father's cancer diagnosis. The Sunderland-born performer was touring America for the first time, drumming alongside indie band Kero Kero Bonito, when suddenly grief takes over, coloring everything in grey. Faltering keys and hushed strings accompany dark dispatches from the road: "Rural scenes and crumbling homes / Strip-mall, drug deal, panic attacks."

Her gentle vocals come across in a flat style, while this record's intensity stems from the sharp penmanship—blending stories, folksy sayings, and direct personal notes—along with unexpected maximalism. Few songs this year showcase stronger storytelling style than "Shelly", which describes the death of an animal and spirals toward a petrol-laden reckoning, reminiscent of literary pieces illuminated by glimpses of warped cello. Anxious, subdued verses with echoing, plucked guitar move to expansive choruses, and her vocals electronically altered into a presence omniscient and sinister.

Audiences may already know the artist as a music creator, DJ, and contributor to bands like Caroline. The album's sonic turns reflect her varied background. The opener "Sometimes" erupts with fanfare, as if a string band caught unawares, while "Born Again Backwards" drastically ups the tempo via a punishing, stunning, repeating percussion. Thick walls of sound, skillfully produced with a longtime collaborator, feel both gnarly and ethereal, while Walton's morbid, magical thoughts culminate in highlight "Lambs", a song that briefly transforms into a swirling jig. "I hope your existence doesn't conclude with dying," Walton pleads, with poignant gallows humor.