It is the first of the Ex's albums to feature extensive use of improvisation and instruments outside of the standard guitar/bass/drums arrangement of punk rock, as well as great numbers of international guest musicians, most notably New York's Sonic Youth, Glasgow's Dog Faced Hermans, Amsterdam's Instant Composers Pool, as well as numerous folk musicians from a variety of European and Middle Eastern traditions.

The album marked a turning point in The Ex's artistry, foreshadowing many collaborations and delvings into avant-garde, experimental, improvisational, folk and world music that the band would mix with their abrasive trademark post-punk sound in the 20 years to come.

There are plenty of full-throttle Ex avant-punk tracks, however, and collaborators include numerous players from the free improvisation world, as well as members of Sonic Youth, who contribute their parts by tape and even apparently via telephone on one piece featuring Kim Gordon."

"[1] According to Trouser Press, the album "reroutes the music from its usual head-on collision and spotlights a few guests [...] While tracks like "Shopping Street" are brash cacophony, others are far more restrained.

[4][5][6] Adapted from liner notes: Additional instruments: grill, birdcage, double-bass, "fire extinguisher + hammer", bamboos, piano, electric razor, dobro, spoons, human beatbox, wire, glass, castanets, bow, cracklebox, cowbells, cabasa.