iOTA Strips It Back On His First New Album In A Decade With ‘Hours Disappear’
Hours Disappear is iOTA’s first new album in a decade which is set for release this Friday. The iconic singer-songwriter has already unveiled another glimpse of the forthcoming record with a reimagined version of Come Back for Me, one of the most loved and requested songs from his back catalogue. Paring the song back to its very essence, iOTA transforms it from an anthemic torch song into a plaintive expression of longing that speaks directly to the heart. Just six strings and that voice – now touched by the years, iOTA’s vocal has developed a deeper emotional intimacy, yet remains no less powerful than when the song was first performed in the ’90s.
It’s a welcome return for iOTA, who recently offered fans the first taste of Hours Disappear with the Double-A-side single Home Song / Bitter Wine. The forthcoming acoustic album brings together stripped-back versions of iOTA’s classic songs alongside his new material – a collection that feels both timeless and newly discovered. In celebration of the release of Hours Disappear, iOTA is set to return to the stage, solo and acoustic, with a spellbinding collection of stripped-back classics and new songs across Victoria, NSW, QLD, ACT, and South Australia in the coming months. iOTA talks to Rob Lyon about the album and upcoming tour.
Congratulations on the album, it must be really exciting building up to the new album?
It is. It’s great to actually have one after ten years. After just doing the work, I’m excited to get out and play. It’s been such a long time since I’ve been out of the state to play with me and my guitar, so it’s going to just feel really new.
With being ten years between albums, do you start worrying at all that you never get there in the end? Like, I know you’re busy doing lots of other different exciting things, but musically, does that sort of stress start to build?
It just happens when it happens, and it happens when it can happen, you know, when there’s time. So no, I don’t put any pressure on myself. I think, though, that as time goes on, I guess there is an urgency that just naturally happens, because I’m getting older, I’m fifty eight, and when I turned fifty, I realised that I’ve got more time behind me than I have in front of me, and that lends a certain urgency to the time that you have left. I don’t think about it too much. I do just think that everything will happen when it’s supposed to.
With this album, did you approach it any differently than anything else you’ve worked on previously?
Yeah, it’s very stripped back. I mean, that’s the main difference. I’ve never had an album like that. Everything’s been usually a lot of instruments and produced, and so this one there are other instruments, and it is produced, but it’s just very subtle. You could be mistaken for thinking it was just guitar and vocal, but there’s percussion, and there’s piano, and other bits and pieces in there, but it’s all just very subtly produced. So yeah, that would be the difference. Compared to ten years ago, I just did a full rock album.
Was it clear as these songs were being written that it would be more stripped back, more acoustic and percussion‑based, or did that evolve once you got into the studio and worked out the best way to present these songs?
I think partly because I’ve been playing so much. I thought that this part of my life was over in many ways, because I was in theatre, and my guitar had been put away in storage for years and the last five years, I suppose, the guitar came out, and I just started playing a lot of acoustic guitar, and so that’s the kind of songs that I was writing. Some of the songs on the album are also from my very first album. So I’ve re‑recorded those because my first album is no longer available anywhere. In the last few years, people have been asking me how they can get a copy of it, and so I thought I would partly satisfy myself with new material, and also satisfy those people by recording a couple of old songs.
Did the songs come easily, particularly the new ones?
Well, it’s never hard, and I don’t pressure myself to get a song finished. It’s either done or it isn’t. I just write… a lot. It’s not like I write a lot of songs, but I’m always working on something. But yeah, there’s no pressure. There’s no pressure on myself to complete anything.
Based on what you were saying about picking up the guitar five years ago, is music your first love, or is it theatre, or does it ebb and flow depending on where you’re at?
Yeah, it’s just art. I like art, and I paint as well, and I like creativity, and I like colour, and sound, and movement, and I’ll just sort of take it from wherever it comes, you know? It just felt like it was time to put another album out, and because I’ve played more guitar now than I ever have in my life. It’s next to me constantly. I just love it.
It just must be really exciting that wherever the interest takes you, you can just go there. You seem to be a born natural at being able to do whatever it is, theatre, playing, painting, writing songs, that must be great to have a career that gives you so many options and choices to explore your true self?
I’m very lucky to have that, and it’s good because once I’ve done something, I want to move on and try something else. I don’t want to just be stuck in a show and then move on to another show and another show. It’s good. Who knows what’s going to happen after this? Maybe I’ll go and do some theatre, or I don’t know. But I do have a lot of songs, and I’d really like to record some more.
With the songs, once you had them, did it all start coming together fairly quickly in a short period of time?
It didn’t take very long. It took about five days in the studio all up, but it took a lot of just me listening to it over and over and deciding which instruments to add to it, and BVs and all that sort of business. But it did come together really, really quickly. I’ve got a good system now, and yeah, looking forward to doing it all again.
What were your thoughts when you saw these songs take shape and it was all coming together as a complete package?
Well, like, excited, and I felt like the songs worked really well together. I sort of weaved a loose narrative throughout them, for myself really. I just think it’s really great. It opened up my mind to the potential that the future holds.
I reckon the biggest challenge would have been picking the first single, because there are so many fantastic moments on the album.
Yeah, it’s really a team effort making those kinds of decisions. So, it’s between the record company and the management team and a little bit of myself. But I’m quite happy to listen to other people’s opinions and go with their decisions on those sorts of things as well.
Heading out on the road on tour, one of the special dates is here in Adelaide at the Trinity Sessions. You must be really looking forward to that one?
I cannot wait. I’ve never been to the Trinity Sessions. I’ve heard such great things about it. I’ve always loved playing in Adelaide, but it’s just been so long. It’s been so long. Years… twenty years ago, I used to play in this very small little pub where maybe fifty people could fit into this little room. I wish I could remember the name of it, but I have such great memories of it and playing at The Gov also. But again, that’s fifty or twenty years ago. It’s just been too long.
It is a remarkable venue, the church, the acoustics, everything ties in perfectly. You can see how your music and the aesthetics would match beautifully. It’s one of those ones you’d almost film just for your own prosperity. It’s set up to be a magical evening.
Fantastic.
Are you looking to do the album in its entirety, or are you leaving a few surprises?
I’m going to do a bit of everything. There’s a lot of music there to play. I haven’t finalised the set list, and I like to have a definite set list and then another set list that I can pick and choose from as I’m going. So there’ll definitely be a ton of music.
Beyond the tour, what’s next for yourself? Holidays, a bit of a break and refresh for next year?
My whole life is a holiday, in many ways, because playing the guitar all day could be considered work or a holiday. So I’ll just be playing more guitar, I’m sure, and perhaps enjoying the sun. But right now I’m just thinking about doing more touring, and I’m thinking about recording more music.
Interview By Rob Lyon
Hours Disappear is out September 25, 2026, via MGM Distribution – available on Vinyl, CD, and across all major streaming platforms.
Preorder/Presave HERE
iOTA
‘Hours Disappear’ Album Launch Tour
FRIDAY OCTOBER 16
BRUNSWICK BALLROOM, MELBOURNE VIC
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 21
THE VANGUARD, SYDNEY NSW ***NEW SHOW
THURSDAY OCTOBER 22
THE VANGUARD, SYDNEY NSW ***LAST TICKETS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 23
BAROQUE ROOM, KATOOMBA NSW ***TICKETS SELLING FAST
SUNDAY OCTOBER 25
JUNK BAR, BRISBANE QLD ***TICKETS SELLING FAST
FRIDAY OCTOBER 30
FILLMORE’S, KIAMA NSW (6pm-8pm)
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 13
TRINITY SESSIONS, ADELAIDE SA
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 14
SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE, CANBERRA ACT
SATURDAY DECEMBER 5
DANGAR ISLAND BOWLO, DANGAR ISLAND NSW (7.45pm-9.15pm)
SUNDAY DECEMBER 6
FLAMINGOS, NEWCASTLE NSW
*Tickets available at iota.com.au
