Ghosts I-IV
by Nine Inch Nails

It is very meritorious (and certainly brave as well) that Trent R ventures into the creation and release of a full album of Dark Ambient music. Ghost is not on the roads that Eno, Budd and others have taken. The music clearly and emphatically bears the stamp of NIN (distortion), although the choice and use of certain instruments such as glockenspiel or banjo is not obvious. Some tracks are also industrial metal without vocals than recognizable Ambient music. What Ghosts especially misses is the power of suggestion and a certain consistently applied form of minimalism. It’s mostly a collection of moods. As a result, the album fits in better with the typical, particularly expressive NIN Sound, but does not give the listener the opportunity to recall his own images or to fully appropriate the music. I don't like to say it, but that makes Ghosts only half successful. The tracks "13 Ghosts II", "I'm Not from This World" (on "Bad Wich") and "Four of Us Are Dying" ("The Slip") leave room in the sound image and burst of suggestion . That is why they can easily pass for Dark Ambient. Other tracks are too complete in terms of sound image or reduced to mere collages. In summary: creditable, but just not successful. Trents great examples and predecessors such as Bowie or Gary Numan did / do better in this genre.

From thirstyDog 05/05/2018 04:02 | #214212

I'll be damned if this isn't the greatest homework album ever.

From JulianR 01/04/2018 05:21 | #204550

I like a lot of the songs, but put back to back to back like this it starts to feel like a barrage of half-completed ideas. And especially with an album this big (almost two hours), its lacking that certain unity that makes it feel like a whole. I would recommend looking at it, and listening to it, as if it were 4 different EPs, which it kindof is. That would probably make it a little more managable.

From Space-Dementia 10/25/2016 00:58 | #177396

Ghosts I - 77
Ghosts II - 72
Ghosts III - 73
Ghosts IV - 77
Ghosts I-IV - 75

From souplipton 07/30/2016 03:39 | #171978

The four side long suites have very little in common with most of NIN's discography, but it is still very very good. Much more difficult to get into, but rewarding if given a chance.

I love this album. Especially 01 Ghosts I, but the entire thing is pretty breathtaking.

I need to check out more ambient stuff.

There is a lot to digest hear. Most of it sounds good and you could spend days with this album. I enjoyed it when the piano played most. No particular highlight on the album but I supose that isn't the point here.