The album marks the first release by I Dont Know How But They Found Me as a solo act fronted by Dallon Weekes after the departure of drummer Ryan Seaman.

Dallon Weekes drew inspiration from a variety of sources as the creative force, including his personal experiences and influences ranging from 70s glam rock to 90s R&B.

Fridmann's expertise helped shape the sound of the record, allowing Weekes to explore a diverse range of musical styles while maintaining a cohesive sonic identity.

Written by Weekes, the song has been performed by I Dont Know How But They Found Me since tours supporting the band's 1981 Extended Play (2018), eventually being re-recorded for Gloom Division.

Lucy Carter of The Indiependent described the album as a "more mature release" than the project's debut, highlighting the sound as "sway[ing] between soft and sad to bold and bombastic".

[27] Distorted Sound, DORK, Kerrang!, and Rolling Stone each gave the album a rating of 8/10 or 4/5, with Ed Walton praising the album for its "infectious indie pop/emo bangers",[4] Ali Shutler commending it for offering "escapism and joy in equal measure",[5] James Hingle highlighting Weekes' evolution as a musician,[22] and Frank Lähnemann lauding its varying soundscapes and glamour, respectively.

[9] Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic gave the median rating of 3.5/5, complimenting it for "stylistic diversity and genre experimentation" but also stating that it's "bogged down by midtempo lounge-act material".

[26] The Ramapo News reviewed Gloom Division less positively, as Jessica Hammer criticized the songs for not having "much distinguishable variation instrumentally" and giving a rating of 2/5.