Basinski began writing the piece "A Shadow in Time" shortly after finishing his album Cascade (2015).

[6] The album artwork features, courtesy of James Elaine, a photograph by Chinese artist Deng Tai.

[9] Jonathan Wroble from Slant Magazine wrote, "Together, these two tracks show that Basinski's technique can yield a wide range of results, something his career has proven beyond doubt but which his individual albums don't always reveal.

"[18] AllMusic critic Paul Simpon said, "As ever, Basinski is a master at suspending time, and the album seems to flow by faster than the clock indicates.

"[11] All tracks are written by William BasinskiCredits adapted from A Shadow in Time album liner notes.