Peter Gabriel has unveiled the Dark-Side Mix of “The Court,” the second song from his comeback album i/o. Its Sunday release coincides with this month’s full moon. Takes a listen below.
Written and produced by Gabriel, “The Court” was recorded at Real World Studios in Wiltshire and The Beehive in London, with contributions from Brian Eno alongside Tony Levin, David Rhodes, and Manu Katché, as well as backing vocals from Peter’s daughter Melanie Gabriel. The orchestral arrangement was done by John Metcalfe with Gabriel, and was recorded at British Grove Studios in London with a number of players who previously featured in Gabriel’s New Blood Orchestra.
“I had this idea for ‘the court will rise’ chorus, so it became a free-form, impressionistic lyric that connected to justice, but there’s a sense of urgency there,” Gabriel explained in a statement. “A lot of life is a struggle between order and chaos and in some senses the justice or legal system is something that we impose to try and bring some element of order to the chaos. That’s often abused, it’s often unfair and discriminatory but at the same time it’s probably an essential part of a civilised society. But we do need to think sometimes about how that is actually realised and employed.”
Gabriel previously previewed i/o with the release of “Panopticom.” As was the case for “Panopticom,” “The Court” boasts a variety of mixes from Tchad Blake (Dark-Side Mix), Mark ‘Spike’ Stent (Bright-Side Mix), and Hans-Martin Buff’s Atmos In-Side Mix.
“I quite like this idea of the multiple mix approach because for most artists it’s the process, not the product, that is most important. In some ways, I’m trying to open up the process a little more for those that are interested,” Gabriel explained.
“The Court” also comes with a unique cover image by Tim Shaw depicting the ritual installation Lifting the Curse. ”
While a release date for i/o is still forthcoming, Gabriel has already announced a supporting tour. “The i/o Tour” consists of shows across the UK, Europe, and North America. Get tickets here.
“The Court” Cover Art
