According to a press release, Morning Phase is a "companion piece" to Beck's 2002 album Sea Change.

[9] In the interim between album releases, Beck worked on a wide variety of projects, including new studio material, most of which went unreleased for several years.

"[9] On the other hand, Beck said that Morning Phase was a much more satisfying experience: "Some of the songs on the new record – I get to shout and yell.

[9] In the beginning of 2013, he recorded a great deal of the album in his hometown of Los Angeles in three days, with familiar studio and touring musicians Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Joey Waronker, Roger Joseph Manning, Jr., and Smokey Hormel.

[16] "Heart Is a Drum" was released to United States adult album alternative radio on July 28, 2014, as the fourth single.

[19] At Mojo, James McNair stated that "Morning Phase isn't an album that obsequiously courts your approval [...] it just does.

"[28] Andy Gill of The Independent wrote that the album is "a deeply satisfying journey, the sadness tempered by the warmth and beauty of the settings, and the gentle determination of the resolution.

"[24] According to Reef Younis of Clash magazine, Morning Phase has a "slight, melancholic tone", and "there's an awful lot to love.

"[29] CraveOnline's Iann Robinson rated the album 9/10, calling it a "proud successor to Sea Change" and "downtempo stroke of genius", and noted that it was some of Beck's best work in years.

[31] The album also reached top 10 positions in the UK, Canada, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand.