Back in April, the R.E.M. singer spoke about his first solo project during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he also debuted a new song, “The Rest of Ever.” At the time, Stipe said he was writing the “final lyrics” for his solo album, and announced that it was coming out at the end of the year. He also described one of the songs as “the sound of a tree hearing itself for the first time through MIDI.”

Earlier this year, Stipe teamed up with producer Andrew Watt, Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam) and Travis Barker for “I Played the Fool,” the theme to the HBO series Rooster starring Steve Carell. He later performed the track on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, alongside Watt, Klinghoffer, Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Queens of the Stone Age’s Troy Van Leeuwen, and Chris Chaney (AC/DC, ex-Jane’s Addiction).