The "Ghosts of the Forest" name refers to three different entities: the album, which features nine songs, the project as a whole, which features the material on the album plus an additional eleven songs only performed live, and the group itself. Ghosts of the Forest was partially conceived as a tribute to Anastasio's friend Chris Cottrell, who died of
adrenal cancer in January 2018. While the group's live performances share the extended improvisations that define Phish concerts, Ghosts of the Forest's performances differ from Anastasio's other projects in that the group's setlists remained static throughout its run. The Ghosts in the Forest project was also a main focus of the documentary
Between Me and My Mind, released the same year. Anastasio used a stripped-back approach to his playing for the album and employed minimal overdubs, citing Cottrell as an influence for this decision. He stated: Nature also plays a central role in the sound of the album, with Anastasio and mixer Vance Powell at one point recording 45 minutes of ambient outside sounds, elements of which were later overlaid onto the album's songs. All songs on the album except "In Long Lines" have made it into Phish setlists. Additionally, another Ghosts of the Forest song, "A Life Beyond the Dream", appears on their 2020 studio album
Sigma Oasis. ==Commercial performance==