The "guest" players on the recordings include former past member of Split Enz Noel Crombie.

[1] Other players come via Eddie Rayner's instrumental ensemble Double Life - Mark Denison (saxes, clarinet, flute), Adrian Stuckey (guitars, bass) and Patrick Kuhtze (drums).

Double Life had created a bunch of inspired instrumental 'jams' which Eddie sent to Tim to imagine lyrics and melodies.

Phil Manzanera said the project was instigated in 2020 when he found an old rehearsal tape of Split Enz; he digitised it, thought it sounded "amazing" and emailed it to Tim Finn, the first re-engagement between the pair in years.

The release of Shades and Echoes was postponed from 2021 to 2022 due to the delayed manufacturing and delivery of vinyl and the COVID-19 pandemic.