The Mechanical Pterodactyl was built by multi-instrumentalist/producer Yen Nguyen, joined at times by a five-piece band of regular collaborators. Drawing on influences such as Bon Iver, Radiohead and James Blake, Yen was surprised to find that instead of a band he had created a primitive flying machine, playing a style of music loosely categorised as Folktronica.

At its core, Mechanical Pterodactyl's focus is on melody and introspective lyrics. Through production techniques and creative uses of instruments such as guitars, synths, brass, woodwinds, strings, drum machines and percussion a different sonic landscape is created for each song.

Yen Nguyen has been a producer and working musician for ten years; most notably as drummer for live hip-hop act Casual Projects, and contemporary bluegrass act Mustered Courage. He has produced albums and tracks for artists such as Mustered Courage, Tom Woodward (The Orphanage) and Xani Kolac (The Twoks).