Song 04: "Till Your Mind Is Shining" (2nd April 2026)

Dark-Side Mix
Bright-Side Mix

overview of the o\i article series

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This song, too, explores the themes of perception and brain function. It is becoming increasingly clear that this is evidently the central theme of the entire album.

Specifically, Gabriel says the song is about 'opening the mind' and immersing oneself in it. The brain remains a largely unexplored territory. With future possibilities, people will increasingly work on their minds, much as they have long worked on their bodies. With AI support, it will be possible to complete several years' worth of learning in a shorter time. Which – Gabriel hopes – will lead to a better understanding of oneself and to making decisions in a more responsible and compassionate manner.

Also interesting: Gabriel says, "To my ears it's the closest I get to a pop song on this record."

Lyrics

The lyrics are essentially a series of light-hearted descriptions of a rapid stream of data or thoughts. The blurred distinction is intentional. Metaphors relating to the sea, water and flowing are also used consistently. And for the sake of musicality, entire lines are sometimes repeated.

The chorus sums up the enthusiasm inherent in it all: "You look, you learn, you see it – illumination – you look, you learn, you listen – till your mind is shining".

Art

The visual motif of the song consists of a photograph of the artwork Warp Time with Warp Self No. 2 (LED, IC, electric wire, mirror glass, steel, 105 x 150 x 15.5 cm). In fact, it shows only a snapshot of this object, as it is constantly changing. This applies not only to the numbers displayed on the LEDs, but also to their background, which consists of reflective glass that is not perfectly flat. It distorts the surroundings and therefore always looks different depending on where you stand.

The object was created by Tatsuo Miyajima, a Japanese sculptor and installation artist. Born in 1957, he studied painting in Tokyo, graduating with a Master's degree in 1986. Soon afterwards, he began experimenting with performance art before moving on to light-based installations. He frequently works with numbers that appear on LEDs or are sometimes projected onto entire high-rise buildings.

For him, the focus is primarily on the function and significance of time and transience. The LEDs in his works count cyclically from 1 to 9, but never display the number zero, which for Miyajima represents stagnation and death. Buddhist perspectives on inevitability, universality and mortality play a role in these concepts.

You can get a good sense of Miyajima's work on his website.

What appeals to Gabriel about the chosen artwork is the blend of coldness and structure, as well as softness and self-reflection. He sees an interaction (not just through the reflective background) between humans and mechanics. Choosing Warp Time with Warp Self No. 2 felt like the right decision to him.

You can find out more about the o\i artworks and the artists behind them in our separate article.

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Dark-Side Mix – 2nd April 2026

Words and Music by Peter Gabriel
Engineering by Oli Jacobs, Katie May, Faye Dolle, Dom Shaw
Assistant engineering by Charles Hughes
Pre-production engineering by Richard Chappell
Produced by Peter Gabriel
Mixed by Tchad Blake
Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis Studios
Recorded at Real World Studios, Bath and The Beehive, London

Drums – Manu Katché, Oli Jacobs
Rhythm Programming – Peter Gabriel, Oli Jacobs, Mike Elizondo, Faye Dolle, Richard Chappell
Bass – Tony Levin
Electric Guitar – David Rhodes
Acoustic Guitar – Katie May
12-String Acoustic – Richard Evans
Mandolin – Richard Evans
Piano – Peter Gabriel
Synth – Peter Gabriel
Additional Synth – Katie May
Backing vocals – Peter Gabriel, David Rhodes
Vocals – Peter Gabriel

Length 5:09

Available on Bandcamp

As with i/o, the fourth track on the album is a cheery, playful number. Gabriel also says that this track took him back to his schooldays, when he was still trying to write pop songs in the style of soul and R&B. Such references can certainly be detected, at least in the (strikingly short) chorus.

Music

The song kicks off immediately with a lively, soaring chorus, before easing back. The verses are underpinned by a diverse array of electronic elements. Levin's bass flashes in and out throughout. The vocal melody is almost impossible to predict. It meanders tentatively and playfully.

The high-pitched scream then forms an unusual transition to the chorus. The track switches to a more structured band accompaniment. In particular, a piano comes in, lifting the song into a cheerful mood and lending it a peculiar retro charm. The whole thing skips along casually, with the vocal melody remaining intricate yet sounding thoroughly smooth.

For the second verse, the track returns to the electro sound. The same applies to the instrumental interlude, which – brief as it is – layers its elements together with great precision.

The whole song, with its quirky playfulness, comes across as happy, at times almost exuberant, as well as somewhat eccentric, laid-back and not particularly catchy. And that is precisely why it is also unsettling. Interestingly, it feels shorter than it actually is at 5 minutes.

Incidentally: No, this is not an easy pop song.

Personnel

Till Your Mind Is Shining places a strong emphasis on rhythm programming, which was largely handled by almost the whole Real World studio team and appears to have been developed over a long period of time. Also involved was Mike Elizondo, a successful music producer in the rap scene. Gabriel already was in contact in 2024, when Digging in the Dirt was released as a cover version produced by Elizondo featuring Sheryl Crow, on which Gabriel also sings.

Additionally it is worth noting that, alongside Manu Katché, Oli Jacobs plays drums. As Jacobs was head engineer at Real World only during the first recording phase of i/o, so his involvement here suggests that recordings for the song took place as early as 2021. Jacobs stated on social media that the grooves were provided by Manu, whilst he contributed the drum fill, presumably in the instrumental section. This demonstrates how Gabriel likes to work in minute detail.

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Bright-Side Mix – 17th April 2026

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Author: Thomas Schrage

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Links

Introductory video for Till Your Mind Is Shining:

Song background on petergabriel.com
Website by Tatsuo Miyajima
Digging in the Dirt featuring Sheryl Crow, produced by Mike Elizondo on YouTube

Join the discussion about the song here in the forum.

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