Peter Gabriel, the legendary art-rock pioneer and former Genesis frontman, is once again shaking up the music release calendar—this time with a project as ambitious as it is unconventional. On January 3, 2026, Gabriel announced his forthcoming studio album, o\i, marking a swift follow-up to his 2023 release, i/o. For fans who remember waiting over two decades between Gabriel’s previous studio albums, this rapid succession feels almost surreal.
But Gabriel’s approach isn’t just about speed; it’s about rhythm, cycles, and a deep engagement with both art and technology. As reported by Pitchfork and Ultimate Classic Rock, Gabriel will unveil a new song from o\i on every full moon throughout 2026, gradually revealing the album track by track. Each song will appear in two distinct mixes: the "Dark Side" mix, crafted by Tchad Blake, will debut on the full moon, while the "Bright Side" mix, handled by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent (sometimes credited as Mike Stent), will follow on the new moon. This lunar release schedule mirrors the rollout of i/o, reinforcing a theme of cycles and duality that Gabriel has been exploring musically and philosophically.
The first offering from o\i is “Been Undone,” which dropped in its Dark Side mix on the night of the Wolf Moon, the first full moon of the year. Clocking in at over seven and a half minutes, the song bears all the hallmarks of classic Gabriel: intricate lyrics, lush instrumentation, and a sense of contemplative grandeur. According to Stereogum, the track was developed with Gabriel’s longtime collaborators—Tony Levin on bass, Manu Katché on drums, and David Rhodes on electric guitar. Gabriel himself plays keys, and Richard Evans adds a touch of mandolin. The song’s origins trace back to a thirty-year-old demo called “Sit,” with some of Rhodes’ riffs making their way into the final version.
For Gabriel, this album is more than just a collection of songs. In his own words, shared across multiple press releases and echoed by SuperDeluxeEdition, he explained, “The songs are a mix of thoughts and feelings. I have been thinking about the future and how we might respond to it. 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. Artists have a role to look into the mists and, when they catch sight of something, to hold up a mirror.”
Gabriel’s reflections go beyond the technological. He muses on the interconnectedness of humanity and nature, stating, “We are not, and have never been, the exclusively self-determining, independent beings that have been given the run of the world. 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.”
Some tracks on o\i are set to become part of a larger “brain project” Gabriel has been developing for years, while others, he admits, “just make me feel happy.” The album’s very title and its predecessor, i/o, play with the concepts of inside and outside, input and output. Gabriel elaborated, “These are my lumpy bits—i/o: the inside has a new way out and o\i: the outside has a new way in.”
True to Gabriel’s penchant for multimedia experiences, each song on o\i will be paired with a unique piece of visual art. The debut track “Been Undone” features Ciclotrama 156 (Palindrome) by São Paulo-based artist Janaina Mello Landini. According to Gabriel, Landini’s piece, which involves unravelled ropes arranged in fractal-like structures, evokes both tree trunks and the human brain. “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 remarked. He expressed excitement that Landini would be creating an original piece specifically for the project, adding an extra layer of anticipation for each monthly release.
For those keeping score, o\i continues Gabriel’s tradition of enigmatic, two-letter album titles, a pattern that began with 1986’s classic So. While i/o was Gabriel’s first album of new material in over 21 years, o\i marks his quickest follow-up since 1980’s Peter Gabriel (3), also known as ‘Melt.’
The lyrics of “Been Undone” even venture into scientific territory, referencing mitochondria and the Mandelbrot set—a nod to Gabriel’s fascination with the intersection of art, math, and biology. And while the album’s overarching themes are weighty, Gabriel’s signature warmth and humor remain present. He encourages listeners to “shake our booty and give and receive some love,” suggesting that joy and connection are as essential as deep thought.
As of early January 2026, there is no official release date or pre-order option for o\i; the album will be fully revealed by year’s end as each lunar cycle brings a new song. There’s also no word yet on a supporting tour, a notable omission given the extensive tour Gabriel launched for i/o in 2023—his first solo tour in nearly a decade.
Gabriel, who turned 75 in February 2025, has enjoyed a resurgence in public attention recently, thanks in part to the inclusion of his 1982 track “I Have the Touch” in the hit film Marty Supreme. In a lighthearted social media post, he thanked the film’s director, Josh Safdie, for featuring the song, quipping about his love for table tennis and revealing that he always keeps a ping pong table backstage for band and crew members.
While Gabriel’s career has spanned decades and genres—from prog rock to pop to world music—his willingness to experiment and reflect on the zeitgeist remains undiminished. With o\i, he’s inviting listeners on a year-long journey that’s as much about the process as the product, blending music, art, and philosophy in a way only Peter Gabriel can.
As the moon waxes and wanes through 2026, fans can look forward to each new revelation, each artistic collaboration, and each thoughtful meditation on what it means to be human in an age of rapid change. By the year’s close, o\i will stand as a testament to Gabriel’s enduring creativity—and his belief that, sometimes, the best way to find your place in the world is to dance beneath the full moon.
