Peter Gabriel in concert in Berlin Waldbühne on May 26, 2023, the first of a total of five in Germany. Hannes P Albert/dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
Co-produced by Brian Eno, the "Bright-Side Mix" of the song mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent, "Road to Joy" explores the reawakening of senses.
"I'm working on a project which is partly a story focused around the brain and how we perceive things and this song connects to that," Gabriel said in a statement. "It deals with near-death experience and locked-in syndrome situations where people are unable to communicate or to move. It's an amazingly frustrating condition.
"There have been some great books and films about this subject, but at this point in our story the people looking after our hero manage to find a way to wake him up," he continued. "So, it's a lyric about coming back into your senses, back to life, back into the world."
The track features Soweto Gospel Choir, and musicians from Gabriel's current touring band, including longtime collaborators Tony Levin (bass), David Rhodes (guitar) and Manu Katche (drums), alongside newer members Don E (bass, keys) and Josh Shpak (trumpet). It also features a string arrangement from John Metcalfe.
In recent months, Gabriel has been revealing i/o singles at each full moon, including "Four Kinds of Horses and "Panopticom." While the musician has yet to unveil his upcoming album's release date, he has announced "i/o the Tour," with North American dates kicking off in Quebec on Sept. 8.
