More footage and music from the project can be found at our New Releases page.
Ten songs about one ocean: Ocean Songs is a music project on a genre-bending journey across our blue planet.
Blending pop, classical, and ambient influences, Ocean Songs is a new set of ten songs created and performed by Blue Machine — Colin Riley, Nic Pendlebury, Steve Pretty and Lottie P — alongside guest voices from scientists to community choirs. Taking a stand on the importance of environmental protection, the artists and their collaborators explore whales, waves, mythology and climate.
Spoken-word contributions come from Helen Czerski and George Monbiot, with Czerski reading extracts from her award-winning book Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes our World (Penguin Books) – a major influence on the project – and Monbiot explaining how whales impact the climate.
Live premieres took place in Summer 2025 at First Light Festival and the National Maritime Museum. The project will have an album release and further performances in 2026 – stay in touch for news.
A community choir plays the part of the ‘Sirens’ and returns in two other songs – allowing Blue Machine to collaborate with a different group of local musicians at each performance – and intertwines with guest vocals from Melanie Pappenheim on the track ‘Every Wave’.
Ocean Songs is a joint commission by First Light Festival CIC, Royal Museums Greenwich, Messums and Ocean Rising. For press and performance enquiries contact sonic.collaborations@gmail.com.