Singer Brett Anderson opted for a pared-back sound, singing and playing piano alongside cellist Amy Langley.

"[2] Speaking on the album's much lower media profile compared with his previous work, Anderson said: "I have no record company, no publisher and a smaller audience but I have never been more confident and focused about what I am doing as an artist.

Fans who bought tickets for Anderson's performance at London's Mermaid Theatre on 7 July received a copy of the album on USB stick format.

[8] AllMusic were more favourable, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "For those who are still paying attention, it's actually quite nice to hear Anderson reconnecting to that initial spark while finding ways to experiment.

"[6] Also favourable was Jenni Cole of musicOMH, who wrote: "Wilderness is a slow burner, a gentle and fragile album stripped of the raw emotion of earlier Anderson efforts but no worse for that.