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Product details
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Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ghosts I | |||
| 2. Ghosts I | |||
| 3. Ghosts I | |||
| 4. Ghosts I | |||
| 5. Ghosts I | |||
| 6. Ghosts I | |||
| 7. Ghosts I | |||
| 8. Ghosts I | |||
| 9. Ghosts I | |||
| 10. Ghosts II | |||
See all 18 tracks on this disc
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| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. Ghosts III | |||
| 2. Ghosts III | |||
| 3. Ghosts III | |||
| 4. Ghosts III | |||
| 5. Ghosts III | |||
| 6. Ghosts III | |||
| 7. Ghosts III | |||
| 8. Ghosts III | |||
| 9. Ghosts III | |||
| 10. Ghosts IV | |||
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See all 18 tracks on this disc
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Ghosts I–IV, the new album from Nine Inch Nails, sees the legendary rockers explore some serious new sonic territory. Comprised of almost two hours of music composed and recorded over a ten-week period, Ghosts I-IV boasts 36 tracks described by Trent Reznor as a "soundtrack for daydreams". That's perhaps true--especially if your daydreams are particularly dark and surreally beautiful. Swelling synths, infectious (and often maudlin) piano melodies, baleful drones and glitchy textures are the unorthodox instruments employed here rather than the standard guitars, drums and stadium-fuelled braggadocio. The immediate impression is more post-rock than indie rock, with sincere nods to avant practitioners like Sigur Ros and Radiohead. But contributions from the likes of Adrian Belew (King Crimson) ensure the mystical ambience is punctuated with blasts of electric psychedelia, and the NIN sound remains somehow recognizable beneath the surface. A hugely successful and beautifully otherworldly trip to outer musical realms. --Danny McKenna
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
52 of 57 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
How the hell does he keep doing it!?! I've been a huge fan of NIN ever since PHM way back in 1991 when I was 21 years old; that album just hit all the right places for me, it sounded different and exciting, it stood out from everything else and became my music. Down through the years I've grown older with each album release and every time I've been surprised and delighted; Broken/Fixed, Spiral, Fragile, Teeth, Zero and all the Halos in between, each time Trent has hit the right note at the right time; creating music that no-one else has ever come close to or could hope to.
Now that he's a truly independent musician he has released this new album firstly as a download which will be followed up with a hold in your hand CD. This is an incredible work, a vast canvas of sounds, rhythms, atmospheres and moods. Even at a 2 hour running time the album just zooms past, it changes from slow to fast, quiet to loud ebbing and flowing one after the other. There are perceptible differences in mood between the 4 Ghosts; melancholic beats leads to fast-paced walls of sound and back again. There seems to have been no instrument left unused; piano, glockenspiel, tinfoil?, that all add to the soundscape created. This album really does have it all; the heartache moments of the peaceful small notes to the blood-pumping, foot-stomping big noise. At times I'm reminded of `Koyaanisqatsi' and Philip Glass's score, other times of Kraftwerk and Joy Division. There are strong appearances from other NIN albums in here too; `The Fragile' and the `Quiet' side of the `And All That Could Have Been' double album most especially.
Now in my mid thirties, this album and this artist once again hits me like no-one else ever has; he's one of the very few artists where I really get excited about news of a new release. Trent has a talent that I feel we have yet to really see the best of, he has created an album here that is like nothing else and I can see how some fans might not take to it. I can only applaud his bravery and his commitment to try new ideas, new approaches, and new ways to make music, to make art. His endeavours very much remind me of David Lynch and Peter Greenaway who both feel Cinema is still in its infancy; that we have yet to explore the depths and possibilities of film as an artform. Trent is the same about modern music.
Keep going Trent; hopefully you'll still be doing this when we're both old and grey!
Now that he's a truly independent musician he has released this new album firstly as a download which will be followed up with a hold in your hand CD. This is an incredible work, a vast canvas of sounds, rhythms, atmospheres and moods. Even at a 2 hour running time the album just zooms past, it changes from slow to fast, quiet to loud ebbing and flowing one after the other. There are perceptible differences in mood between the 4 Ghosts; melancholic beats leads to fast-paced walls of sound and back again. There seems to have been no instrument left unused; piano, glockenspiel, tinfoil?, that all add to the soundscape created. This album really does have it all; the heartache moments of the peaceful small notes to the blood-pumping, foot-stomping big noise. At times I'm reminded of `Koyaanisqatsi' and Philip Glass's score, other times of Kraftwerk and Joy Division. There are strong appearances from other NIN albums in here too; `The Fragile' and the `Quiet' side of the `And All That Could Have Been' double album most especially.
Now in my mid thirties, this album and this artist once again hits me like no-one else ever has; he's one of the very few artists where I really get excited about news of a new release. Trent has a talent that I feel we have yet to really see the best of, he has created an album here that is like nothing else and I can see how some fans might not take to it. I can only applaud his bravery and his commitment to try new ideas, new approaches, and new ways to make music, to make art. His endeavours very much remind me of David Lynch and Peter Greenaway who both feel Cinema is still in its infancy; that we have yet to explore the depths and possibilities of film as an artform. Trent is the same about modern music.
Keep going Trent; hopefully you'll still be doing this when we're both old and grey!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I'll start by saying straight away that this won't be everyone's cup of tea. But if it is then this really is a great album.
Obviously it's all instrumental, and the tracks are all around two minutes in length. The tracks flit between slow, ambient pieces to harder, industrial tunes, but somehow they all flow very nicely together.
Ultimately, this isn't a studio album, it's two hours of mood music you can start playing and transport yourself into your own dark world. It's perfect if, like me, you like having music on all the time but sometimes need to concentrate on something else as well.
I've given it three stars because it's something so unique - it's either a fantastic instrumental set or a boring, self-indulgent saunter through sonic textures. But view it as the former and simply use it as background sound and this really is worth the money.
Obviously it's all instrumental, and the tracks are all around two minutes in length. The tracks flit between slow, ambient pieces to harder, industrial tunes, but somehow they all flow very nicely together.
Ultimately, this isn't a studio album, it's two hours of mood music you can start playing and transport yourself into your own dark world. It's perfect if, like me, you like having music on all the time but sometimes need to concentrate on something else as well.
I've given it three stars because it's something so unique - it's either a fantastic instrumental set or a boring, self-indulgent saunter through sonic textures. But view it as the former and simply use it as background sound and this really is worth the money.
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Normally, I would've asked if Trent Reznor is on crack. But given the mans fierce workrate and renewed vigour over the past three years (which has seen five albums and a live DVD, including a remix set and a colloboration with Saul Williams), as well as the prolific touring that saw the band cover the world a couple of times without a break, and the huge online concept that sat behind the brilliant "Year Zero", the only conclusion I can draw is after his previous, slovenly one-album-every-five-years approach, it appears that if anything, Trent Reznor is most definitely not on crack : and that's what makes this record and his new workrate so important.
Nature abhors a vaccum, and it appears that nature has filled a crack-filled hole with Nine Inch Nails albums. I couldn't think of a better thing to do so, personally. Taking the cue from Bowies Berlin-era instrumental forays and Aphex Twins early work, Ghosts is an epic 2 hour double album journey of purely instrumental Nine Inch Nails music. Yes, there are vocals : similar in tone and timbre to the wordless croon of Bowie, and yes, the music highlights and explores Reznor's often under noticed capacity as a producer and as an arranger, to create densely layered musical sound pictures : lost in the melee of the fierce attack of a live show and the recorded product. Whereas the other NIN records had moments of quiet and loud, light and shade, variant moments of moods between fury and despondency, Ghosts is a quieter journey. And with a quieter journey, comes the monotone view.
If Ghosts were a view, it would a American desert bus journey : a unchanging landscape that becomes almost oppressive in its uniformity. Stripped away from the confines of melody, chorus, conventional song structure and differentiation, it becomes almost boring. There's little emotional impact in the material to an extent, it becomes a uniform, background impression, and starts to fade away. The hook and versimilitude of Reznors voice and the emotional truth of his lyrics is lacking, and it allows "Ghosts" to become a lesser artistic entity. The record certainly does have an important role in the bands canon, and is a brave move, allowing Nine Inch Nails to follow their own path and their muse, free of the confines of a major label system the band have grown to despise, but ultimately its not necessarily an artistic success. It's only on the closing track "Ghosts IV : 36" (like AFX's "Selected Ambient Works 2", none of the songs have names), that the record begins to evoke a clear sense of moving the listener. It's by no means a bad record but an artistically bold statement of musical integrity. I'd much rather Reznor follow his muse - even if it results in albums like this - than become a bad parody of himself in his old age trying to constantly recreate the genie in the bottle and turning into a furious version of the Rolling Stones. Ghosts is a bold and brave move that may not please the fans, but it is an interesting and important release that, at the very least, well worth investigation.
Nature abhors a vaccum, and it appears that nature has filled a crack-filled hole with Nine Inch Nails albums. I couldn't think of a better thing to do so, personally. Taking the cue from Bowies Berlin-era instrumental forays and Aphex Twins early work, Ghosts is an epic 2 hour double album journey of purely instrumental Nine Inch Nails music. Yes, there are vocals : similar in tone and timbre to the wordless croon of Bowie, and yes, the music highlights and explores Reznor's often under noticed capacity as a producer and as an arranger, to create densely layered musical sound pictures : lost in the melee of the fierce attack of a live show and the recorded product. Whereas the other NIN records had moments of quiet and loud, light and shade, variant moments of moods between fury and despondency, Ghosts is a quieter journey. And with a quieter journey, comes the monotone view.
If Ghosts were a view, it would a American desert bus journey : a unchanging landscape that becomes almost oppressive in its uniformity. Stripped away from the confines of melody, chorus, conventional song structure and differentiation, it becomes almost boring. There's little emotional impact in the material to an extent, it becomes a uniform, background impression, and starts to fade away. The hook and versimilitude of Reznors voice and the emotional truth of his lyrics is lacking, and it allows "Ghosts" to become a lesser artistic entity. The record certainly does have an important role in the bands canon, and is a brave move, allowing Nine Inch Nails to follow their own path and their muse, free of the confines of a major label system the band have grown to despise, but ultimately its not necessarily an artistic success. It's only on the closing track "Ghosts IV : 36" (like AFX's "Selected Ambient Works 2", none of the songs have names), that the record begins to evoke a clear sense of moving the listener. It's by no means a bad record but an artistically bold statement of musical integrity. I'd much rather Reznor follow his muse - even if it results in albums like this - than become a bad parody of himself in his old age trying to constantly recreate the genie in the bottle and turning into a furious version of the Rolling Stones. Ghosts is a bold and brave move that may not please the fans, but it is an interesting and important release that, at the very least, well worth investigation.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
what he does.
I'm new to the Trent Reznor fan club, having heard 'Spiral' years ago, which left me cold. The lyrics didn't gel and i couldn't relate to someone that depressed. Read more
Published on 2 Sep 2008 by Craig Baxter
Words cannot...
There are few albums that can be described as being raw,melodic,melancholy,agressive,dramatic,sinister,distant and unforgiving,and perhaps that's a good thing. Read more
Published on 26 Aug 2008 by Jacques Lapin
Even further down the spiral
After great anticipation of this supposedly "important" release from Trent Reznor I can honestly say that Ghosts 1-4 is far from the masterpiece many fans are hailing it as. Read more
Published on 24 July 2008 by Stuart R. Allen
Mesmerizing
I think this is brilliant - you really can see the nine inch nails in it. It is all intrumentals, so unfortunately no vocals or anthems here, but still not to be missed. Read more
Published on 18 Jun 2008 by C. E. Tilbury
very good but difficult to hear but...
I heard that this album is "soundtrack for daydreaming" so expected it to be some kind of background music. So its not, this music involves listener and I have just sit and listen. Read more
Published on 28 April 2008 by L. Szubart
Simply beautiful.
Not, by any means, music you can just sit down and focus on. The perfect soundtrack to read a book to, ponder life to, do anything to.
Unexpected, yet still true to himself. Read more
Unexpected, yet still true to himself. Read more
Published on 20 April 2008 by A. Panama
Disappointing
When I initially heard Reznor was to release a double album of instrumental music, I was seriously excited. Read more
Published on 20 April 2008 by nickel_wound
An Austere Feast
What have we here Mr Reznor ?
Look what happens when you slip your leash.
36 tracks is a lot to swallow even for the faithful
(among whom incidently I... Read more
Look what happens when you slip your leash.
36 tracks is a lot to swallow even for the faithful
(among whom incidently I... Read more
Published on 6 April 2008 by The Wolf
Even closer to God
This was a unexpected release and like any surprises I am welcoming it with delight. Reznor is a genius and NIN brand new album only confirms his prodigy. Read more
Published on 31 Mar 2008 by Aurelia Noel
Woah...
I haven't heard Ghosts II, III or IV, having only downloaded Ghosts I so far. So, bearing in mind that I've not heard the complete album...
It is amazing. Read more
It is amazing. Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2008 by Bane2
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