Peter Gabriel is set to return soon with i/o, his first album in over two decades. Coinciding with the April 6th full moon, he’s offered another preview of the record with the “Bright-Side Mix” of its title track.
“‘I/O’ means input/output,” Gabriel explained in a press release. “You see it on the back of a lot of electrical equipment and it just triggered some ideas about the stuff we put in and pull out of ourselves, in physical and non-physical ways. That was the starting point of this idea and then trying to talk about the interconnectedness of everything. The older I get, I probably don’t get any smarter, but I have learned a few things and it makes a lot of sense to me that we are not these independent islands that we like to think we are, that we are part of a whole. If we can see ourselves as better connected, still messed up individuals, but as part of a whole, then maybe there’s something to learn?”
“i/o” is a piano-driven number that begins with a spare instrumental arrangement. Over the course of four minutes, it gradually builds in intensity as it layers drums, bass, and even backing vocals from the Soweto Gospel Choir. “Stuff coming out, stuff going in/ I’m just a part of everything,” Gabriel croons, reflecting on the flat circle of time.
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The “Bright-Side Mix” of “i/o” was handled by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent; later in the month, we’ll hear Tchad Blake’s “Dark-Side Mix” and Hans-Martin Buff’s “In-Side Mix.” For now, check out today’s new release below.
Previously, Gabriel previewed i/o by revealing the songs “Panopticom” and “The Court.”
We’re still waiting on a confirmed release date for i/o, but Gabriel has announced a packed schedule of tour dates around the globe throughout 2023. Tickets for his North American shows are available to purchase via StubHub — where your order is 100% guaranteed through Stubhub’s FanProtect program. StubHub is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.
