Written by Kat Dobay
Videos by American Songwriter
Peter Gabriel has released the title track, “i/o,” from the Bright-Side mix of his upcoming tenth album. Like previous releases from the album, “i/o” will come with different mix approaches, from Mark ‘Spike’ Stent (Bright-Side Mix) and Tchad Blake (Dark-Side Mix), splitting the project into Dark-Side and Bright-Side versions.
“It’s been around for a long time as a title for this project,” Gabriel said in a statement. “I always knew I was going to write a song called ‘i/o,’ but the title came first.”
“i/o” refers to the input/output connectors seen on the back of electrical equipment. That was the spark of inspiration that led Gabriel to write about the things we put in and pull out of ourselves. Ultimately, the song is about the interconnectedness of everything and how we are all 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,” Gabriel added.
“i/o” is the fourth single to be released from Gabriel’s album, following “Panopticom,” “The Court,” and “Playing For Time.” Gabriel continued the trend of releasing new music following the lunar cycle, with each song being released with the arrival of each full moon.
Written and produced by Gabriel, “i/o” was primarily recorded at Real World Studios in Wiltshire and The Beehive in London. The song features the Soweto Gospel Choir, who Gabriel previously worked with on the song “Down to Earth” recorded for the film Wall-E. The song was recorded at High Seas Studios in South Africa.
The new album is Gabriel’s first full-length release since New Blood in 2009. An official release date for i/o has not yet been announced.
Photo by Phillip Massey/WireImage
