described as neo-psychedelia, and folk rock, with James Skelly's voice receiving comparisons to Eric Burdon of the Animals and Jim Morrison of the Doors. Skelly solely wrote or co-wrote the majority of the songs with Power, Duffy, Southall, Ian Skelly or Ryder-Jones; "Wildfire" is credited to Power only. The opening track, "Spanish Main", opens with the sound of feedback, evoking the sound of pirates singing on a ship during the chorus sections. The band said it was one of the last tracks made for the album, written in one rehearsal shortly prior to entering the studio. They were influenced by other songs about the sea, such as "Into the Mystic" (1970) by Van Morrison and "Ocean Rain" (1984) by Echo & the Bunnymen. The rise and drop in sound was inspired by the band's "teenage knowledge of bad dance music", citing techno and happy hardcore. "I Remember When" is done in the style of traditional Russian music, recalling the music of Nick Cave. The chord progression was taken from "What's the Difference" (1999) by Dr. Dre, and talks about an acid trip the band experienced. The middle portion of the track, as well as "Calendars and Clocks" were compared by the band to "Ennio Morricone soundtracks." "Shadows Fall" comes across as a theme for a Spaghetti Western film, complete with four-part harmonies and a harmonica, with influence from reggae. The song's lyrics were written by Power and James Skelly under a shelter by the beachside. "Dreaming of You" features the use of a trombone and a xylophone. Ian Skelly said the song was created out of an interest in American doo-wop and Merseybeat; it was almost left off the album as the band did not want to become one-hit wonders. "Simon Diamond" is a sea shanty crossed with psychedelic rock, and tells the story of a man changing into a vegetable. The lyrics were inspired by a man named Simon Russell, who worked at a pub owned by the Skelly brothers' parents. The early Pink Floyd-indebted "Goodbye" incorporates a punk rock guitar solo echoing the Ex, and features James Skelly counting down. It was born out the band's need to have a "psych tune [...] to make the album kick a bit more", after listening to a Nuggets compilation. The vibrato guitarwork in "Waiting for the Heartaches" recalled the sound of the Zombies. The song's arrangement was taken from "Holy