Ceremony incorporates the pipe organ, which was recorded at the Annedal Church in Gothenburg and became von Hausswolff's first work to include that instrument.

After releasing her debut album Singing from the Grave (2010), von Hausswolff moved from Gothenburg, Sweden to Copenhagen, Denmark.

[4] The album was recorded at the Annedal Church in Gothenburg which, despite having a small organ, von Hausswolff said that it "sounds really big because of the massive room, with cold walls made of stone.

[14] The album makes prominent use of the pipe organ in nine tracks, differing sonically from Singing from the Grave, which used the piano as the main instrument.

[14][15] Fabiana Giovanetti of London in Stereo wrote that "the lyrics are positively Byron-esque, resembling the British Romantic decadence of the 1800s.

[12] The longest track in the album, it is an 8-minute cut that features organ, brushed cymbals, and echoing guitar, as well as her voice that "soars operatically and growls emphatically".

[18] "No Body" serves as an interlude that experiments with noise and ambient genres, while "Liturgy of Light" is a folk song "that sounds like it's being played in a subterranean cave.

[14] "Sova" is the only track from the album sung in Swedish, von Hausswolff's native language, and is backed by percussion, crashing guitars, and thunderous drums.

[11][21] The "bleakly dramatic"-titled "Funeral for My Future Children" is a chamber pop song based on a clattering rhythm that combines her soaring vocals with pipe organ.

[24] She later played "Funeral for My Future Children" with percussionist Michael Stasiak at Christ Church United Methodist, New York City.

"[34] Peter Margasak of the Chicago Reader stated that despite not "entirely ditch[ing] th[e pop] template" from Singing from the Grave, Ceremony "radically altered the complexion of [von Hausswolff's] music, giving it a severe intensity and sense of grandeur.

"[38] Calling Ceremony "a rare, thoughtful, inspiring record", Bob Boilen from NPR found that "von Hausswolff's voice possesses the power to soar with those mighty pipes and still hold tight to delicate, personal emotions.