Legendary English singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel has revealed plans for a surprise new album titled o\i, kicking off its rollout with a brand-new single, “Been Undone,” released at midnight on the first full moon of 2026. The announcement comes as Gabriel continues his innovative pattern of releasing music in lunar cycles, a creative process he first explored with his 2023 project i/o, which saw tracks unveiled on each full moon throughout the year.
“Been Undone,” written, produced and recorded by Gabriel at his Real World Studios in Bath and at The Beehive in London, marks the first taste of o\i, a record he describes as deeply reflective of his thoughts on the rapidly changing world. In a statement, Gabriel explained that the songs on the forthcoming album represent “a mix of thoughts and feelings” shaped by concerns about societal shifts driven by technological advances such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and brain-computer interfaces. “Artists have a role to look into the mists and, when they catch sight of something, to hold up a mirror,” he said, underscoring his belief that music can help interpret and respond to cultural transformation.
Following the model used on i/o, o\i will be revealed gradually throughout the year: each full moon will bring a new single, and each track will be released in both Dark-Side and Bright-Side mixes — a dual-mix approach handled by long-time collaborators Tchad Blake and Mark “Spike” Stent, respectively. This dual mixing tradition, which treated each song as a multifaceted artistic statement, helped make i/o one of Gabriel’s most distinctive creative periods and laid the groundwork for o\i’s conceptual continuation.
Gabriel’s i/o album — released in December 2023 after a long gestation and celebrated for its ambition and emotional depth — was his first collection of original studio material in more than two decades and reflected his ongoing commitment to artistic experimentation. That 2023 project drew widespread attention not only for its music but for its unique release strategy and the way each track was paired with bespoke visual art and live performances.
With o\i, Gabriel appears to double down on his lunar release strategy, treating the cycles of the moon as an organizing principle for unveiling new artistic material. Fans can expect a year of unfolding sonic and thematic exploration, with o\i gradually taking shape as its constituent parts emerge across the calendar. While no full album release date has yet been announced, Gabriel’s rollout plan suggests a significant 2026 musical arc grounded in both introspection and anticipation of the future.
