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I was finally able to download Nine Inch Nails' suprise new album 'Ghosts I-IV' this morning.
I've almost had a full run through, and I'm very happy to say this is one of the best sequences of music I have heard for a VERY long time!
'Ghosts I-IV' is the totally unexpected instrumental 'album' from NIN. It arrived late Monday via their website in various downloadable formats and pricing options.
It's similar to Radiohead's recent release of In Rainbows... except, this takes the concept so much further.
You can get the first nine tracks as DRMless MP3s for free.
Or pay $5 US for all 36 tracks (Yes, Thirty Six Tracks!) plus a PDF and some desktop wallpapers and stuff.
Or pay $10 US for a 2 CD set (for release April 8)
Or pay $75 US for the Deluxe Package with a hardcover fabric slipcase containing: 2 audio CDs, 1 data DVD with all 36 tracks in multi-track format, and a Blu-ray disc with Ghosts I-IV in high-definition 96/24 stereo and accompanying slideshow. So, for all the musos out there, that everything you need to totally remix and reuse the individual album tracks exactly as if you had access to the masters!
Not only that, but it has all be released under a Creative Commons license! So, you are actually allowed to remix and re-release the tracks in any way you feel is possible.
That is really creative freedom, and a mighty move from Trent Reznor now that he is free of record labels.
But, most importantly, this is an absolutely amazing album. 36 tracks of instrumentals, no lyrics or vocals whatsoever, and not once does it get boring. The mix of instruments and sounds and beats cover a wide range, often well outside the normal NIN repertoire... but despite that, it is still always a NIN album. You can still hear everything that has gone before, refined and polished until it sounds new. The tracks are atmospheric, orchestral, tribal and tortured. There is beauty, and depression and sadness and joy. But gone is the 'teen angst' of Reznor's lyrics - finally, thankfully, as he is a 43 yr old man afterall - and all we are left with is a journey of sound driven emotion.
It is a sound that has been driving my writing all morning. I've already done my thousand words. They rushed by as the music played. I was still listening to it all, hearing every instrument, every sonic blast and keening note. My writing fed off the sound of this new album. It put me in my 'writing space' so quickly and easily, and helped me stay there until I was done. And, I'm happy with almost every word I typed!
I'm off to put some washing on the line and make some lunch (another smoothie). But after that, I'm keen to have another listen and do some more writing before the boys get home from school.
So, while I'm off doing that, why don't you head on over to http://ghosts.nin.com/ and sample the free tracks. If you like melodic, emotional, and highly intelligent music - even if you think you don't like NIN - and you enjoy writing Spec-Fic to a soundtrack, I think you will definitely like this album.
I've almost had a full run through, and I'm very happy to say this is one of the best sequences of music I have heard for a VERY long time!
'Ghosts I-IV' is the totally unexpected instrumental 'album' from NIN. It arrived late Monday via their website in various downloadable formats and pricing options.
It's similar to Radiohead's recent release of In Rainbows... except, this takes the concept so much further.
You can get the first nine tracks as DRMless MP3s for free.
Or pay $5 US for all 36 tracks (Yes, Thirty Six Tracks!) plus a PDF and some desktop wallpapers and stuff.
Or pay $10 US for a 2 CD set (for release April 8)
Or pay $75 US for the Deluxe Package with a hardcover fabric slipcase containing: 2 audio CDs, 1 data DVD with all 36 tracks in multi-track format, and a Blu-ray disc with Ghosts I-IV in high-definition 96/24 stereo and accompanying slideshow. So, for all the musos out there, that everything you need to totally remix and reuse the individual album tracks exactly as if you had access to the masters!
Not only that, but it has all be released under a Creative Commons license! So, you are actually allowed to remix and re-release the tracks in any way you feel is possible.
That is really creative freedom, and a mighty move from Trent Reznor now that he is free of record labels.
But, most importantly, this is an absolutely amazing album. 36 tracks of instrumentals, no lyrics or vocals whatsoever, and not once does it get boring. The mix of instruments and sounds and beats cover a wide range, often well outside the normal NIN repertoire... but despite that, it is still always a NIN album. You can still hear everything that has gone before, refined and polished until it sounds new. The tracks are atmospheric, orchestral, tribal and tortured. There is beauty, and depression and sadness and joy. But gone is the 'teen angst' of Reznor's lyrics - finally, thankfully, as he is a 43 yr old man afterall - and all we are left with is a journey of sound driven emotion.
It is a sound that has been driving my writing all morning. I've already done my thousand words. They rushed by as the music played. I was still listening to it all, hearing every instrument, every sonic blast and keening note. My writing fed off the sound of this new album. It put me in my 'writing space' so quickly and easily, and helped me stay there until I was done. And, I'm happy with almost every word I typed!
I'm off to put some washing on the line and make some lunch (another smoothie). But after that, I'm keen to have another listen and do some more writing before the boys get home from school.
So, while I'm off doing that, why don't you head on over to http://ghosts.nin.com/ and sample the free tracks. If you like melodic, emotional, and highly intelligent music - even if you think you don't like NIN - and you enjoy writing Spec-Fic to a soundtrack, I think you will definitely like this album.
