Houston, December 12, 2023 – Peter Gabriel’s 1982 hit “I Have the Touch” is experiencing a resurgence in popularity after being featured in the Timothée Chalamet-led film marty Supreme, and the artist is now focusing on his upcoming studio album, oi. The album’s first offering, “Been undone,” is available now in a Tchad Blake-mixed version called the Dark-Side Mix.
A New Chapter: Gabriel’s ‘oi’ Explores the Future
The follow-up to 2023’s ‘i/o’ delves into themes of artificial intelligence and the human connection.
- The first track, “Been Undone,” is released in a Tchad blake-mixed Dark-Side Mix.
- The album will feature monthly releases through December.
- Each release will have a Radiant-Side mix by Blake and Mark “Spike” Stent.
- Artwork for the releases will be by São Paulo-based artist Janaina Mello Landini, with the first piece titled Ciclotrama 156 (Palindrome).
- Gabriel hasn’t performed live since concluding the i/o tour in October 2023.
“I’m delighted to say that tonight, at the full moon, we will be beginning another year of full moon releases under the name oi,” Gabriel wrote on his website. He described the songs as a collection of thoughts and feelings, particularly concerning the future and humanity’s response to rapidly evolving technologies.”We are sliding into a period of transition like no other, most likely triggered in three waves; AI, quantum computing and the brain computer interface.”
Gabriel believes artists have a crucial role in interpreting these changes. “Artists have a role to look into the mists and,when they catch sight of something,to hold up a mirror,” he stated. He further explained the conceptual link between i/o and oi, describing i/o as “the inside has a new way out” and oi as “the outside has a new way in.”
What is the connection between humans and the natural world, according to Gabriel? he suggests that humans are not entirely self-reliant beings, but rather integral parts of nature, and that fostering connection and experiencing joy can help us find our place within it. “We are something else, a part of nature, a part of everything and feeling a connection, shaking our booty and giving and receiving some love can help us find our place – and put a big smile on our faces,” he said.
Some of the songs will contribute to a long-term “brain project” Gabriel has been developing, while others are simply intended to evoke happiness. As with i/o, the tracks will be released monthly through december, featuring mixes from Blake and Mark “Spike” Stent, dubbed Bright-Side mixes. Each release will be paired with unique artwork, this time a piece titled Ciclotrama 156 (Palindrome) by São Paulo-based artist Janaina Mello Landini.
Gabriel praised landini’s work, noting, “The way she takes the rope and moves it out, unravelling it, is almost like fractals or tree trunks and looks like the brain in some ways too, so I see a lot of entry points.”
Gabriel’s last live performance was in October 2023 in Houston, concluding the i/o tour. More details about the upcoming album can be found here.
