The album was largely recorded in Dreijer's Stockholm studio in collaboration with producers Paula Temple, Deena Abdelwahed, Nídia, Tami T, Peder Mannerfelt, and Johannes Berglund.

The album received acclaim from music critics, who praised its directly political and sexual themes alongside deconstructed club beats and catchy electronic hooks.

"[13] Dreijer's voice is notably not hidden behind pitch-shifting as it was on Fever Ray, but instead, is "sharpened and pushed high in the mix, the better to emphasize [their] strange, elastic, playful diction.

"[27] Adam Turner-Heffer from Drowned in Sound wrote, "Dreijer has cemented [their] place within alternative music's dynasty, and it's refreshing to hear an outwardly queer and fiercely political artist convey a clear message without having the music, performance or reception fall over the potential weight of those themes.

For as much as Plunge quite clearly contains these themes, it can and will be enjoyed as a universally creditable piece of brilliantly constructed art, and that is Dreijer's real success here.

"[28] Writing for Vice, Robert Christgau lauded Dreijer's sex-positive message: "The title instrumental leads directly to 'I want to run my fingers up your pussy' and an open if complicated beyond.

Club's Matt Gerardi praised the album, stating that it lies "in its ability to change on a dime, to provoke—intermittently and from one listen to the next—confusion, shock, laughter, enlightenment, and ultimately admiration.

[29] In his review for Pretty Much Amazing, Colin Groundwater said, "Plunge is a worthy addition to Dreijer's career discography, and fans of Fever Ray and the Knife are sure to enjoy it.

"[30] The Skinny gave the album a perfect score, with Katie Hawthorne deeming it as "endlessly innovative", writing: "Plunge befits the return of an iconic creative voice.

"[32] Andy Jex of MusicOMH wrote, "This is a joyous artistic rebirth, its creator shaking [their] tail feathers, pushing [their] own boundaries and immersed in emotion and whim brought out from within.