Nico immediately embarked on a solo recording career after splitting with the Velvet Underground and had an unfulfilling experience making her first album. For The Marble Index, she seized control of the recording process, determined that her vision be more fully realized on her second LP. Writing all of the songs and enlisting John Cale's playing and production assistance, Nico created a dark, stripped-down atmosphere that was a million miles from Top 40. Centered around her signature harmonium playing, the songs have a stark, Gothic quality that profoundly affected listeners.