During 2009 and 2010, the band released a collection of singles as part of the A–Z Series; in the years following, frontman Tim Wheeler re-thought his stance on albums.

Between December 2014 and February 2015, the band recorded their next album at Atomic Heart Studios in New York City, with them and Claudius Mittendorfer co-producing the sessions.

[1] Before its release, the band viewed it as their last album, with frontman Tim Wheeler explaining that he was consuming music the way other people were at the time, through playlists and individual tracks.

[6] In November 2011, the band released their second best-of album, The Best of Ash, which was promoted with a brief United Kingdom tour with former guitarist Charlotte Hatherley.

comes from a drum sample that the band was sent from a friend of theirs; McMurray said Wheeler felt this was a good name as they wanted "something fun" to contrast Twilight of the Innocents.

[11] McMurray said they attempted to "capture the live essence" of the band, adding that Meltdown (2004) was the "closest sonic predecessor", crossed with the writing of the singles from Free All Angels (2001).

"[19] For the lyrical themes, Wheeler said he re-listened to 1977 and Free All Angels to evoke nostalgia: "So there’s a lot of summer and referring back to our crazy days on tour when we were kids".

[11] "Moondust" is a piano-and-strings ballad that comes across as a mix between James Bond theme songs and "Don't Stop Believin'" (1981) by Journey.

[23][11][30] "Dispatch" was compared to "Stay Together for the Kids" (2001) by Blink-182, and features an Iron Maiden-indebted guitar solo; it is followed by the power pop song "Shutdown".

[23][24] Penultimate track "For Eternity" is a piano ballad that is followed by the closer, "Bring Back the Summer", an electropop song with synthesizers and drum machines.

[34][35] On 17 June, a music video was released for "Free", directed by Mat Whitecross; it shows the band performing inside of an insane asylum.

Summery, slicing power-punk gusto, Laurel Canyon meets The Ramones harmonies and string-bedecked pop nuggets frame Tim Wheeler’s lovelorn lyrics."

He complimented the production for "benefit[ting] Ash; they sound leaner, hungrier and quite frankly, burn like they’re having a whale of a good time.

"[54] Classic Rock's Michael Koehler wrote that the album can be "paraphrased with a full set of adjectives that read: dynamic, powerful, energetic, fresh, young, fiery, present and gifted ingenious.

"[18] AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that it was "nicely paced, bursting out of the gates with big hooks and thunder beats, finding space to breathe ... ending with a pair of bittersweet elegies.

"[52] PopMatters writer Matt James called it "pretty much a triumph ... clearly prov[ing] that, despite the passing of time, Ash can still kick ass."

[24] The Music's Mac McNaughton wrote that the band "refocused and delivering what they always did best: an album full of rambunctious songs that could be singles.

She explained that the band "still generate radio-friendly tunes", though they "lack the depth that they demonstrated at their peak," coming across as a re-hash of their older material.

[30] Evening Standard reviewer John Aizlewood said it was the band "at their most powerful and concise", with Wheeler having "never lost the knack of penning a short, sharp punk anthem[s]".

[53] Drowned in Sound writer Paul Brown said that while the album offers " enough to justify its existence within Ash’s powerful back catalogue, it really does feel like it tails off towards the end.