[3] Writing and recording officially began in March 2014 for seven weeks in a cabin in woods near Prescott, Arizona,[4] marking the first time the band had worked on an album outside Canada.

[8] In the first few weeks in Arizona, the band "just went on walks, had talks, roasted marshmallows and chopped firewood and went grocery shopping and cooked meals" in an effort to reconnect after touring Flourish // Perish.

[8] The band interrupted the writing process to tour across the United States with Wye Oak for three weeks in May 2014,[9] debuting new songs "Taste" and "Letting Go".

[10] The band cut back on the electronic elements which featured on Flourish // Perish and instead refocused on using live instruments, as on their debut album Native Speaker.

[10] Mixing began with Damian Taylor at Golden Ratio Studios in Montreal in late September 2014,[11] with the sessions concluding in December.

[15] Prior to the beginning of recording, drummer Austin Tufts revealed he had been listening to performed music (as opposed to programmed), such as Little Dragon, Disclosure, Portico, Bonobo, Radiohead, R&B and soul.