Continuing in a series of informational posters which amuse me…

Via boingboing.

Trent Reznor’s ability to make beautiful noise has always impressed me. His ability to make different sounds and beats flow together has helped make Nine Inch Nails what it is today. In the past, most of Trent’s music has been harsh and brutal with a few exceptions. Most of the these exceptions would be the instrumental track that have appeared on NIN releases. So I guess it should come as no surprise that NIN’s new instrumental anthology is more beautiful then brutal.

Ghosts I-IV is something that I would have never expected from Trent but isn’t all that surprising when one thinks about Trent’s projects in the past few years. Year Zero and Niggy Tardust have both been very ambitious projects with experimental marketing and releases and Ghosts is no different. Trent’s strategy of releasing Ghosts as soon as it was announced works well with tone of the album. The recording experiment that led to Ghosts I-IV was an intense 10 week recording session where Trent set out not to over think but to just make music and when one listens to Ghosts this becomes very apparent. To call Ghosts simple gives the wrong impression but in a way it is. There is nothing to analyze about this album other then the meaning of the title (which I will do in a moment). The music does have many layers to it and the amount of musical and recording talent needed to make it is high. However, there is little reflection needed to understand these songs. Ghosts I-IV provides a NIN experience that fans haven’t had before, listen to a song, ingest it, understand it. There are no lyrics with multiple meanings, no hidden political or personal angst, there is just the music. Ghosts I-IV is a very refreshing experience for long time NIN fans.

The title of this release is very fitting with the simplicity of the release. The music lends to a feelings of loss and regret but also to anticipation and an awareness of things around you. By using a title that can lend to so many feelings and emotions, Trent manages to encompass a theme to 36 songs with no lyrics and this is impressive. The title helps to bring more cohesiveness to this records then just the familiarity of the usual NIN sounds do. As for the different volumes, the do fit together well and some share more common sounds and feelings (Ghosts III is most rocking or intense volume) but how Trent decided to group these together I do not know (this adds to the long list of things Trent does I do not understand but fully support).

Finally, I cannot review this album without mentioning the amazing artwork that comes with it. Trent and company worked with Rob Sheridan to group each song on Ghosts with an accompanying photos and they are amazing. Each photo helps to convey the emotions of the songs but they also stand alone as beautiful pieces of art. Also, the fact that these come along with digital release as an pdf file makes the experience all the greater. Ghosts I-IV is a fantastic album and great experience with the accompanying photos and is well worth whatever the cost of whatever option you choose.

If you want to listen for yourself, click below

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Note to the music industry: This is how you release music on the internet and still survive as an artist

Trent Reznor has just announced the release of Ghosts I-IV, an instrumental project that was recorded over the course of 10 weeks last year. This alone is nothing amazing (well, depending on your opinion of Nine Inch Nails’ instrumental tracks) but the fact this is available immediately and the variety of release formats is. Nine Inch Nails fans have 5 different options for this release:

1. Free download of first nine tracks in high quality mp3 format. Gives unsure fans a taste of what this release is all about.

2. $5 download of entire album (36 tracks!!!) in a variety of formats (including Apple Lossless which is FLAC for itunes. Will only work with some ipods.)

3. $10 double cd-set with immediate digital download of album. This is perfect for the cash strapped fan (for example, me) who still wants physical cd’s from one of his/her favourite bands. Also, $10 for 2 cd’s is a really good fucking price.

Fanboy break: Trent Reznor is a fucking god

4. $75 package with double cd release, a dvd with multi-track files for remixing goodness, a blu-ray disc with high-def sounds and video. The video is a slide show of artwork inspired by the music. Finally, a 48 art book inspired by the album. If you have more money and a blu-ray player this is gold. The blu-ray disc experience with this will be amazing and I can’t wait to find someone who will get this (or lower the definition so I can download it). The art book also looks beautiful.

5. $300 package with everything from the $75 package plus vinyls and two art prints. Obviously Trent understands his rabid fanbase and these will be soldout in less then a day.

My love for Nine Inch Nails and Trent Reznor runs very deep and this release re-enforces and deepens this love. Trent has put the time and effort into creating options that will suit every fan. And making this is all better is that it is released under the Creative Commons License. Translation: this release can be shared and there will be no repercussions. The album is copyrighted by Nine Inch Nails but considering Trent’s feelings towards major labels, something tells me the RIAA won’t be coming after you for sharing this album. So to summarize, Trent Reznor has set the new standard for releasing an album. Smaller, independent artists will not be able to do this but larger acts that still announce albums 4 months before the cd comes out and sell DRM soaked mp3’s are way behind. Innovation isn’t impossible and for that matter, Trent has done most of the thinking for you. Bye major labels, your business plan from 20 years ago is fucked and you have no one to blame but yourself.

(Review of album coming soon…)

Not for test taking, huh? Your washroom is breeding Bolsheviks.

fuck off.