SO SAD TO BEAR: PETER GABRIEL’S LONG-AWAITED ALBUM HAS BEEN BAND FROM LISTENING DUE TO HIS…..
After a 21-year hiatus, legendary artist and former Genesis member Peter Gabriel has finally unveiled new music. Starting in early 2023, Gabriel released a song digitally every Full Moon, with an alternate mix following on the subsequent New Moon. This pattern continued until December 1st, when the official album “i/o” was released, featuring a total of 12 original songs, each presented in two different mixes.
I find this approach absolutely fascinating; composers and producers often exhibit an intense perfectionism. When it comes to mixing and mastering, producers show a curious obsession, testing their work on various devices like car speakers, cell phones, and even low-quality sound systems to ensure the song sounds perfect everywhere. Despite endless tweaks, the result never feels completely perfect. As a composer, I’ve frequently faced the dilemma of choosing between two or three final mixes, seeking input from my team before deciding or sending the final version to the client. However, Gabriel has made a smarter choice than most of us: he offers two different mixes of each song on the album, allowing the listener to choose their preferred version. It’s brilliant!
But Gabriel didn’t stop there; he’s also releasing a third mix, the “Inside Mix,” specifically engineered for Dolby Atmos equipment.
The music on the album delivers a good dose of catchy, danceable pop tunes, reminiscent of late-period Genesis and Gabriel’s earlier work. However, I believe the album truly shines in its more melancholic, quiet, and intimate tracks. A personal favorite is “Love Heals,” which begins with a simple but atmospheric G minor ostinato. The atmosphere deepens with the addition of cellos and Gabriel’s melodic vocal lines. The ostinato remains constant, even through the choruses and bridges. Then, suddenly, the music shifts with a beautiful chromatic movement on the piano from D to natural E, creating a Dorian mode against the G minor ostinato. Aeolian and Dorian—two shades of melancholy in a song about returning to the safety of our mothers’ wombs.
“Olive Tree” brings back the pop-rock sound that Gabriel was known for during his later years with Genesis and the early part of his solo career, while “Four Kind Horses” echoes the darker, more visceral style of his 2011 release “New Blood.”
Peter Gabriel is an artist who needs no introduction! Let’s give a warm welcome back to him with an album that, I believe, will not disappoint anyone!
