The album originates from a single track, titled "Voyage 34", which was to be part of the Porcupine Tree's second studio album, Up the Downstair. Originally a 30 minute track intended to be the second disc of a double album, Wilson eventually decided to release "Voyage 34" independently of the rest of the album. Instead, it was released in two parts, as singles, as "Voyage 34 (Phase 1)" and "Voyage 34 (Phase 2)" in 1992. In 1993, Voyage 34: Remixes was released, containing two remixes of the originals. "Voyage 34 (Phase 3)" was a remix by the British electronic music group Astralasia, while "Voyage 34 (Phase 4)" was a remix by Wilson himself, along with future band member Richard Barbieri. A voice sample of Dead Can Dance's song "As the Bell Rings the Maypole Spins" is repeated throughout all four tracks.

Voyage 34: The Complete Trip compiles all four "phases" onto one album.