It is a concept album consisting of one 44-minute song about frontman Phil Elverum's life and musical career.

Its release was accompanied by a short film consisting of 761 printed photos taken by Elverum, which he described as "lyric video...a slideshow, a PowerPoint presentation, a flip book and a documentary".

[2] The American musician Phil Elverum began the Microphones in 1996, acting as the frontman and principal songwriter.

[7][8] In 2018, Elverum spent nine months in Brooklyn, United States, where he didn't write any music except for the two-chord guitar ostinato that would later serve as the basis of Microphones in 2020.

[2] After performing a show under the Microphones name in 2019, the attention it received led him to question his past identity, giving him inspiration to return to the project.

[11] He wanted the album to be a "project of demystification" which prodded at the feeling and history of the Microphones, but was long-lasting and not hindered by nostalgia.

[18] It begins with a seven-minute instrumental section composed of two double-tracked and out of phase chords—D major and F sharp minor[2]—played on an acoustic guitar.

[11] After the introduction, more instruments are introduced: speak-singing, minimal drums, bass, organ, electric guitar (which at times appears abruptly),[19][20][21] and piano (which slowly crescendos).

[23] The album is an autobiographical account of Elverum's life and musical career, delving into the multiple past and present versions of himself.

[10][25] He discusses many significant moments from his musical career, such as the beginnings of the Microphones, watching the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, viewing performances by Stereolab and Bonnie "Prince" Billy, and listening to "Freezing Moon" by Mayhem.

[27][28] The album also describes many trivial experiences that were more significant due to Elverum's youth, such as contemplating the moon or doing dishes.

[23] Nostalgia is a prominent theme, with the song exploring both Elverum's and his fans' experiences, and questioning whether it is a positive influence.

[22][29][28] When it was suggested that the album is a postmodern entity, Elverum stated, "Yeah well I feel it is its own weird thing, I guess.

[31] The album received interest from fans and music publications due to it being released under "the Microphones" instead of "Mount Eerie", which surprised Elverum, who had expected the song's length to bring attention.

[33][34] On December 25, Elverum released the photobook Microphones in 2020 Silent Version, composed of images from the short film.

[10] Konstantinos Pappis of Our Culture Mag gave the album four out of five stars, writing about the unique experience of the long song and its ability to evoke memories.

[8] Steve Kling of The Philadelphia Inquirer gave the release three out of four stars, comparing it to a good memoir as "it's intensely personal while glimpsing universal truths (and avoiding solipsism)".