The Sound of Settling is Death Cab for Cutie's sixth single release (counting the Stability single and EP) and also the second single from Transatlanticism. It is an upbeat tune with a chorus of onomatopoeias (Bop ba! Bop Ba!).

The video begins with a picture frame containing a picture of green velvet curtains, the camera zooms out, and the picture frame is in a picture in a picture frame, the cycle then repeats itself, adding in the members of the band and others dressed up as old people, pastry chefs, gingerbread men, surgeons, themselves, and more. It also includes other people, like breakdancers.