According to the artist, the designer Jesse Kanda asked "if I had a girl's name when I was a kid, I told him that I have this image in my head when I listen to a song of mine that I really love or that I feel happy with.

[8] AllMusic said "the way Arca plays with and decorates time, letting sounds and moods mutate spontaneously, makes Xen a complete picture of [her] artistry and also promises much more.

"[18] Consequence stated that Arca's "time alongside Gesaffelstein added to [her] understanding of the space between beats, and the emotive power of these hesitations.

"[10] The Observer said Xen is "one of those albums that elegantly restates the appeal of digital music, expressing hues and states of being that fall outside the analogue spectrum.

"[15] Fact wrote: "Even if [her] chops as a producer aren't in question, the writing on Xen is too patchy to fully realise Ghersi's ambitions.