Lily Kershaw - Now & | Then

The track is primarily built on delicate fingerpicking on an acoustic guitar. Some critics noted atmospheric additions, such as a rich, husky organ or accordion, which add a "melancholic autumn" feel.

While the album as a whole features "sleeker pop production" than her debut, "Now & Then" serves as a bridge back to her earlier, more intimate acoustic style. Lily Kershaw - Now & Then

Reviewers at Atwood Magazine note that the song creates a space where "rooftop parties and friends are plentiful," allowing the narrator to actualize a love that no longer exists in the physical world. Musical Composition and Production The track is primarily built on delicate fingerpicking

The song functions as a "wistful appeal" to a former lover, centering on the concept of . Kershaw examines a relationship that ended not necessarily because of a lack of love, but because it was never allowed to fully bloom. Key themes include: Reviewers at Atwood Magazine note that the song

Kershaw considers Arcadia a meant to be heard as a "journey and an infinite loop".

Lines like "we’ll never know if our love could have grown" highlight the tragedy of a love lost to circumstance or internal struggles, such as the subject being "scared and alone" or "longing to feel but nothing that's real".

Kershaw told American Songwriter that she was suffering from "tremendous heartache" during the writing process.