It’s been a little while since we heard new music from Robert Pattinson, but he’s back with a new album, Water for Wildlife, available to stream or download. The album is said to be inspired by Pattinson’s travels to Bora Bora, an island group in the South Pacific Ocean. Water for Wildlife is a bit of a departure from his previous albums, focusing more on acoustic guitar-driven pop songs.

The Making of Water for Wildlife

  • The album was recorded at Jungle City, England in May and June of 2019.
  • It features contributions from British producer and engineer Rob Kirkgate, who previously recorded the majority of David Bowie’s Let’s Dance and Queen + Adam Lambert’s American Dream album.
  • Pattinson co-wrote all the songs on the album with Kirkgate, except for “The Day Before You Came,” which he wrote with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.
  • Nadja Benaissa, who plays drums on the album, is from Morocco and also plays with the band Tinashe.

New Song: “The Day Before You Came”

The first song to be unveiled from Water for Wildlife is the title track. It’s an acoustic guitar-driven ballad about a doomed love affair. The song features brass and guitar work by Pattinson, as well as a string section. The song is said to be influenced by English band Beach House. Their songs have a distinctive lo-fi, hazy quality that perfectly matches the mood of the song. Water for Wildlife is out now.

Navigate The Deep Waters

The follow-up to Water for Wildlife is Navigate The Deep Waters, which was also recorded with producer Kirkgate at Jungle City in England. It’s a bit of a departure from the mood of the previous album, with a more cinematic feel. The album art is a gorgeous illustration by the Russian artist Daniil Yurechko, famous for his underwater landscape paintings. The video for the album’s lead single, “Waves,” was directed by Yurechko as well.

The song “Waves” will no doubt draw comparisons to Coldplay’s recent album, Green Album. Like that album, “Waves” is an intimate look at love lost and found. “There’s been a few rough patches in my romantic history/ But I’ve always found someone to pull me through,” sings Pattinson, in a quiet, but confident voice. Some may see the song as a bit of homage to Chris Martin, who has collaborated with Pattinson before on the song “Love Lost.”

Finnish Influences

The third song to be previewed from Navigate The Deep Waters is “Kylie.” It’s another ballad about a lost love affair. The song is credited to “Robert Patterinson and The Minders,” though it was likely co-written by Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, who provides additional vocals. Vernon is known for his close collaboration with Beck, and together they’ve written several songs that draw influence from Beck’s native Finland. They’ve also covered several of Beck’s classics, including his own “Fake Happy Song.” “Kylie” is definitely one of the stronger songs on the album. Perhaps it’s also a reflection of Beck’s influence that one of the best songs here is also named after him.

The other highlight of Navigate The Deep Waters is a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb.” It was first performed by Robert Pattinson and The Minders for a special edition of Pink Floyd’s The Endless River Blu-ray. They recorded the song at Abbey Road Studios in London. Pattinson opens the song by saying, “Hello, my name is Robert Pattinson and I’m doing a Pink Floyd cover band.” It’s clear that the band has a huge connection to the legendary British band, and they pull off the song expertly. It was a dream come true for Pink Floyd fans to hear this cover on album. One of the reasons for the album’s strong musical influences is that the band was going through a creative transition at the time. The album’s opener, “Waves,” was the first song they wrote after hiring the vocalist who would eventually become the band’s lead singer, Stephan Mevissen. “You may not know this, but we were in a bit of a transitional phase,” said guitarist David Gilmour, “and it showed in the collection of songs that were written during that time. Comfortably Numb” and “Kylie” were both written before the album’s release and were released as promotional singles. “Waves” was released as a single after the album’s completion. Navigate The Deep Waters comes out March 13th, but you can pre-order it now.

New Song: “The World I’ve Made”

Finally, we arrive at “The World I’ve Made.” It’s the first song to be released from Water for Wildlife, and it continues the album’s cinematic feel. It’s an orchestral pop song, with a rich string section, soaring guitars, and a strong dance beat. The song’s lyrics are vague, focusing on the character’s journey rather than his destination. The song’s central character is seen as a symbol of someone who is both vulnerable and strong. The song was co-written with the album’s producer and engineer, Rob Kirkgate. He also co-wrote the album’s title track with Pattinson. Like Water for Wildlife, “The World I’ve Made” continues the album’s cinematic feel, with an art-house film noir atmosphere. Orchestral pop music is a perfect match for the film noir feel of this album, which was inspired by the works of English author John Buchan. Water for Wildlife and Navigate The Deep Waters are available now.