Trent reznor’s 10 best
HOW THE NINE INCH NAILS ALT-ROCKER DARKENED MOVIE MUSIC…
1 ‘Hand Covers Bruise’
The Social Network (2010)
David Fincher used “jangly collegerock” as temp music for his Facebook movie’s opening. Working with Atticus Ross, Trent Reznor fixed that. Setting atomised piano notes to nagging digi-scapes, the main theme evokes disconnection beautifully. 2 ‘Infiltrator’
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011) Emboldened by The Social Network’s Oscar win, Reznor/Ross went for broke with a three-hour score for Fincher’s fjord-noir thriller. Among its dirty drones, clammy art noises and ice-cold pianos, the pulverising ‘Infiltrator’ is a hyper-agitated stand-out. 3 ‘Burn’
Natural Born Killers (1994)
Long before Network, Reznor curated a wide-ranging soundtrack for Oliver Stone’s bullish satire. Of his own contributions, ‘A Warm Place’ preempts later Reznor mood-pieces, but it’s industrial headbanger ‘Burn’ that shakes you hardest. 4 ‘In Motion’
The Social Network (2010) Reznor/Ross’ other Network standout is
the techno yin to the atmospheric yang of ‘Hand’. “We wanted something that… sounded like ideas,” said Reznor. ‘Motion’ is the propulsive sound of inspiration in full small-hours flow, alert and adrenalised. 5 ‘Immigrant Song’
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011) The scorching synth-rock rush of Reznor/Ross’ Led Zeppelin cover is the blazing outlier on Girl’s otherwise glacial, bone-chilling soundtrack. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O sings like she’s got Viking blood roaring through her veins. 6 ‘Closer (Precursor)’
Se7en (1995)
Talk about an attention-grabber. Given a hot-and-bothered remix by experipioneers Coil, NIN’s seminal sex-metal grinder haunts the titles of Fincher’s psycho-horror like a stalker. NSFW obsession provides a thematic link to John Doe’s journals. 7 At Risk’
Gone Girl (2014)
Fincher wanted warped spa music for his Gillian Flynn adaptation. Duly, Reznor and Ross’ electro-soiled magnolia muzak evokes a creeping
sense of pent-up domestic dread. An insidious slow-burner, ‘At Risk’ climaxes at that moment. 8 ‘Dead Souls’
The Crow (1994)
The soundtrack to the kohl-eyed superhero film invited ’90s alternakids to ditch grunge for post-punk, industrial rock and goth. The molten melodrama of NIN’s Joy Division cover links the available options with seething swagger. 9 ‘Undercurrents’
Bird Box (2018)
“A fucking waste of time,” said Reznor of scoring Netflix’s end-of-days movie. The consolation is that Reznor/Ross’ part-plaintive, part-pulverising score – underused on-screen – stands strong alone: even by Reznor’s standards, ‘Undercurrents’ is epically anguished. 10 ‘Big Wide World’
Mid90s (2018)
Jonah Hill wanted Reznor/Ross’ take on warmth for his coming-of-age movie. The EP-length score is a tender gem of outsider sympathies, aglow with unforced optimism on this piano piece. Next surprise step for Reznor/ Ross? Pixar’s Soul. Kevin Harley