The Other Side of Make-Believe

The album was written entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic. It marked the group's first writing sessions not in person, with Paul Banks in Edinburgh, Daniel Kessler in Spain, and Sam Fogarino in Athens, Georgia; they corresponded via email.[2] In the summer of 2021, the three reunited for continued songwriting and rehearsals in a group of houses in the Catskills, and in the autumn completed the recording of the album in North London with producers Alan Moulder and Flood, the former of whom previously mixed the band's fourth and fifth albums, Interpol and El Pintor. Banks commented on the uplifting sound of the album, contrary to their trademark typically gloomy tone: "A few of the songs in particular have really unabashedly positive sentiments... something that feels good is the aspiration."[2]

The album's lead single, "Toni", was released on April 7, 2022, alongside the album's announcement. A music video accompanied the single, directed by Van Alpert; the end of the video alludes to a forthcoming second part of the video which was unveiled on 12th April by the release of the video to a new song called "Something Changed". This video features two of the same cast as well as singer Paul Banks driving around in an unmarked police car.

All tracks are written by Paul Banks, Daniel Kessler, and Sam Fogarino.