After releasing their third studio album, Ones and Zeros, in June 2015, and wrapping up touring in support of it in October, the band found itself at a difficult juncture.

[8] Rather than be discouraged by the removal of the member and friend, the band used it as motivation to immediately start work on a fourth studio album.

[4] Frontman Gustav Wood and guitarists John and Fraser Taylor were the principle writers, would usually write Jolliffe's drum parts for him in the process.

[5] The band worked with rock music producer David Bendeth and recorded in the House of Loud studio in New Jersey.

[4] While the band expected to be done after the five weeks of recording, upon taking a short vacation, Wood and John Taylor felt inspired to keep going, writing around five new songs.

[2][11][12][13] Mirroring the recording sessions, the band described the album's theme as being about "letting go of the past and moving on towards a brighter future.

[3] Wood stated that the album's title track, "Echoes", summed up the general theme of the album as well, stating on how it's about "reflecting on how tempting it can be to revisit memories of times gone by in a bid to keep that part of your life alive, but facing up to the fact that eventually you have to let things go and move on.

[2] Bring the Noise praised the album as well, stating that despite the fact that it was softer than their earlier material, like that found on All Our Kings Are Dead, Echoes felt more polished than their prior releases, stating that "Each song is as anthemic as the last, by combining the better aspects of their previous three albums: with the more electronic feel of Ones and Zeros combined with the huge-sounding guitars and strong lyrics of their first two albums, they’ve managed to deliver an album that’s positively oozing with potential singles...there is some pretty conclusive proof that Young Guns are experts at writing innately catchy music.

"[13] Volume praised the release as an album that is both diverse and unique, creating a sound that grows on the listener over time.