"The Incident" was originally released in 2009, and the double album was recorded by Wilson along with Richard Barbieri (synthesizer, keyboard), Colin Edwin (bass) and Gavin Harrison (drums). "The Incident" takes the willing listener on a sound journey of a special kind. The central piece is the 55-minute title track, which is divided into 14 sections that are distinct yet inextricably linked. The album is completed by four more independent compositions. The idea for "The Incident" came to Steven Wilson when he was stuck in traffic due to a traffic accident: "There was a sign that said 'Police - Incident" and everyone slowed down to see what had happened. In retrospect, it occurred to me that 'Incident' is a very detached word for something that is so destructive and traumatic for the people involved," Wilson said. All the songs are written in the first person and attempt to humanize the detached media coverage of each related event. The album reached number 17 in the charts in Germany and also top 25 placings in the USA and the UK. It was also nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Surround Sound Album" category. Wilson himself described the album as one of the three best things he had ever created.