Symphonic poem Borodin's "In the Steppes of Central Asia" "powerful orchestral pictures, each unique in its composer's output". Titled a "musical portrait", "In the Steppes of Central Asia" evokes the journey of a caravan across the steppes. "Night on Bald Mountain", especially its original version, contains harmony that is often striking, sometimes pungent and highly abrasive; its initial stretches especially pull the listener into a world of uncompromisingly brutal directness and energy. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov wrote only two orchestral works that rank as symphonic poems, his "musical tableau" "Sadko" (1867–92) and "Skazka" ("Legend", 1879–80), originally titled "Baba-Yaga". While this may perhaps be surprising,
Composed (album) succumbs to syrupy, symphonic cliche; even so, its ambition and singularity are intoxicating". Pitchfork called Bischoff "a hugely talented composer, with sky-high ambitions" but stated that the "multiple guest vocalists...keep things lively while also preventing a through-line from developing...lending the album the feel of a busy, semi-staged opera". Spectrum Culture counters this, saying the album fits together "seamlessly" due to Bischoff's "selflessness". "Composed" is described as "a piece of immaculately arranged orchestral pop, one whose level of baroque whimsy varies by track and by guest after noteworthy guest" by "Alarm". All music by Jherek Bischoff. All lyrics by guest vocalists.