"the endless river" comprises instrumental and ambient music based on material recorded during sessions for the band's previous album, "the division bell" (1994). additional material was recorded in 2013 and 2014 on gilmour's "astoria" boat studio and in medina studios in hove, england. it was produced by gilmour, youth, andy jackson and phil manzanera. only one track, "louder than words", has lead vocals. after the death of longtime pink floyd artist storm thorgerson in 2013, the cover was created by artist ahmed emad eldin, design company stylorouge, and aubrey powell, co-founder of thorgeson's design company hipgnosis.