Peter Gabriel Shares New Song ‘Panopticom’ To Coincide With Full Moon

Today marks the first full moon of 2023 and with it comes Peter Gabriel‘s “Panopticom,” the first single from his long-in-the-making i/o studio album. While the release date for the follow-up to 2011’s New Blood has yet to be revealed, the legendary musician will launch i/o The Tour in May.

“Panopticom” arrived with cover art prepped by artist David Spriggs entitled “Red Gravity.” Gabriel, who both wrote and produced the track, recorded “Panopticom” in England during sessions held at his Real World Studios facility in Wiltshire and at The Beehive in London.

“The first song is based on an idea I have been working on to initiate the creation of an infinitely expandable accessible data globe: The Panopticom,” explained Gabriel on his official website. “We are beginning to connect a like-minded group of people who might be able to bring this to life, to allow the world to see itself better and understand more of what’s really going on.”

Peter Gabriel enlisted longtime collaborators Brian Eno (electronics), Tony Levin (bass), David Rhodes (guitar) and Manu Katché (drums) to contribute to “Panopticom.” The Breath’s Ríoghnach Connolly provided additional backing vocals.

A new track from i/o will be released to coincide with each full moon in 2023 accompanied by a “specific piece of art” by different artists. “Some of what I’m writing about this time is the idea that we seem incredibly capable of destroying the planet that gave us birth and that unless we find ways to reconnect ourselves to nature and to the natural world we are going to lose a lot,” added the 72-year-old musician. “A simple way of thinking about where we fit in to all of this is looking up at the sky… and the moon has always drawn me to it.”

Stream Peter Gabriel’s “Panopticom” below:

More details on the plan for the complete release of i/o will follow. Dates for a North American leg of i/o The Tour will be announced “soon.” Scroll below for the UK and European dates.