It was released as the sixth and final single from their third studio album, The Suburbs, on April 21, 2012.

[4][5] A remix of "Sprawl II" by the Belgian electronic band Soulwax was previewed on BBC Radio 1 on March 20, 2012.

[6] Later that year, the song was released as a 12-inch single on April 21 as part of Record Store Day 2012.

[7][8] Pitchfork awarded "Sprawl II" the designation of Best New Track, with critic Larry Fitzmaurice calling the disco production "a glorious change-up for the band and its fans".

[9] In a retrospective analysis, Jim Beviglia of American Songwriter called the song a "rousing anthem" and one of The Suburb's "finest moments".