Produced by Cocteau Twins guitarist Robin Guthrie, Black Spring was the result of several months of writing by Lush.

The EP was followed by a national British tour, during which bassist Steve Rippon left the band and was replaced by Phil King.

She further said that "most bands have been going a fair amount of time and've built up a set", whereas Lush had not and didn't feel like writing an album's worth of new material unless it was "a more coherent body of work".

[2] By summer 1991, Lush had composed up to 21 new songs,[3] and hinted at new material, expressing an interest in experimenting with drum machines, sequencers and MIDI equipment.

[3] Black Spring features four songs: "Nothing Natural", a cover of Dennis Wilson's "Lady" (retitled "Fallin' in Love"), "God's Gift" and "Monochrome".

Guthrie suggested a technique in which Acland's tracks were played into a sequencer from Simmons pads, which then triggered sampled drum sounds.

[3] Black Spring features a celeste sample and Roland drum machine on "Fallin' in Love", as well as Lush's effects-laden guitar sound throughout.

[5] As with their previous releases, Lush included two obscure messages on the run-out matrix codes on the groove of the 12-inch record pressing of Black Spring.

[11] A maxi CD single was released in the United States, with "God's Gift", "Monochrome" and the full-length EP version of "Nothing Natural" as B-sides.

[12] "Monochrome" was originally intended as Black Spring's main A-side and single—as suggested by producer Robin Guthrie—but 4AD instead chose "Nothing Natural", believing it to be a superior track.

[15] In support of both Black Spring and the "Nothing Natural" single, Lush began a two-leg national tour, during which the band exclusively debuted the songs from the EP.

Rippon confirmed later that the band's "strenuous schedule" for 1992, including planned tours of Australia, Japan and the US, contributed to his decision.

[18] "Nothing Natural" and "Monochrome" were featured on Lush's debut full-length studio album, Spooky (1992), and remastered versions of both songs were included on Ciao!