Peter Gabriel has made each new full moon his own. As he did with 2023's I/O, the artist's upcoming record, O\I, is being released a song at a time, and a new track with each full moon. The latest tune is "One by One" and has been released with a "bright-side mix."
The former Genesis frontman is also releasing each song with "bright-side" and "dark-side" mixes, each slightly different from the other, but with enough nuance to make longtime fans happy. Gabriel is nothing if not unique.
"One by One" re-establishes a character from the singer's past, "Mozo." There is no need to dig into what Mozo meant before, as he stands alone. One can enjoy the new track because Mozo is simply a narrative tool, not a character that requires exploring (though with everything Gabriel, the catalog is worth listening to).
Peter Gabriel might have just released the best song from his upcoming album
Be forewarned, however. The track is no radio-friendly ditty. It stretches more than nine minutes; so does the icon make the experience worth the listen? Absolutely.
Gabriel's voice forces empathy from those who hear his music. It is a talent that one is born with. To attempt otherwise often comes across as forced and misguided. Instead, Gabriel's vocal ease is astonishing, which gives his songs room to breathe.
At the beginning of "One by One," the synth sound might remind some of his prog days with Genesis, though the song isn't prog at all. The tune meshes with the singer's decades-long excellence, and one can find comfort in that knowledge.
The theme of the track is of one putting the broken pieces of themselves back together one at a time, suggested Gabriel in a video about the creation of the track on his YouTube channel.
The verses of "One by One" are achingly beautiful, as is Gabriel's voice throughout the track. The chorus changed the track from one of somberness to far more uplifting. The struggle is real for Mozo, but the drive to find himself is affecting. In other words, Mozo, of course, represents most of us.
Even six minutes into the song, one does not want it to suddenly end. This has been the case with many of the eight tracks released from O\I so far. At this point, fans will know the upcoming bon mot will be a pleasant one, and another must-own of the Peter Gabriel catalog. Is the album likely to be his best? No, but there is nothing wrong with being very good either.
O\I has no current release date, but the album should drop at some point in 2026. Ultimately, most, if not all, of the songs will have been released by the time the record comes out, but that's perfectly fine. Fans know that every full moon, Gabriel is likely to drop another gem.
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