The Etym and the Ondt was born out of the underground music scene in Western Massachusetts, and later continued in Boston. Featuring a cast of rotating musicians, the band was led by Derek Pyle, performing at the Emily Dickinson Poetry Festival, Flywheel Arts Collective, Boston College, and various house shows. This recording, an improvised first-take recorded in 2015, features Henry Anderson, Parker McQueeney, Derek Pyle, and Eli Salus-Kleiner.
The Etym and the Ondt contributed to the Opendoor Edition of Waywords and Meansigns in 2020, recording page 30 line 1 through page 31 line 33.