Goldfrapp signed a recording contract with Mute Records in August 1999. They began recording their debut album in September 1999, working in a rented bungalow in the Wiltshire countryside for six months. The process was challenging for Alison Goldfrapp, who often felt isolated and disturbed by mice and insects in the bungalow. Will Gregory found the sessions intense, as he was unaccustomed to collaborating with others. Goldfrapp wrote the album's lyrics, while Gregory and Goldfrapp composed the music together. The lyrics are abstract, inspired by science fiction, films, Goldfrapp's childhood, and her feelings of loneliness during recording. Musically, the album draws from various styles, including 1960s pop, cabaret, folk, and electronica.