It features Shorter’s "Footprints" Quartet with pianist Danilo Pérez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade.

Nate Chinan of Jazz Times wrote that it "picks up where its predecessor left off: It’s another compilation of concert recordings from the band’s extensive travels.

"[7] Will Layman of PopMatters said that it "does more than reinforce the marvel of Wayne Shorter’s return to brilliant, challenging acoustic jazz.

This collection of concert recordings makes the argument that Wayne’s long hiatus served an important artistic purpose, and one that the first two comeback discs did not fully acknowledge.

On Sound Barrier, Wayne’s quartet ... plays in a fully interactive style that eschews individual 'solos' almost completely.