Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, the two creative minds behind the current iteration of Nine Inch Nails, have released “Outside,” one of their tracks from the 2018 Netflix feature film Bird Box. Bird Box’s soundtrack is currently available for purchase on digital formats via the group’s website, however it will also be available on streaming platforms on January 25.
“Outside,” is a nearly 13-minute epic score, filled with haunting piano keys and an atmospheric sonic backing with haunting bass and electronic sounds. The entirely instrumental track carries a broody atmosphere that matches the tone of the film.
Bird Box is a post-apocalyptic thriller where a female lead played by Sandra Bullock escapes with two unnamed children through a forest and river blindfolded. These blindfolds are used to pass by supernatural entities, who cause those who see it to commit suicide. This film saw a limited release last month, after making its premier at the AFI fest in November.
“LIKE ALL SOUNDTRACK RECORDS WE RELEASE, WE AIM FOR THESE TO PLAY LIKE ALBUMS THAT TAKE YOU ON A JOURNEY AND CAN EXIST AS COMPANION PIECES TO THE FILMS AND AS THEIR OWN SEPARATE WORKS,” Reznor explained in a press release regarding the soundtrack.
An expanded version of this soundtrack will also see a later release this year during the spring. Reznor states that this addition will contain a variety of material and sonic concepts that were never utilized in the film or its official soundtrack.
“WE CREATED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MUSIC AND CONCEPTUAL SOUND FOR BIRD BOX, A LOT OF WHICH NEVER MADE IT TO YOUR EARS IN THE FINAL VERSION OF THE FILM,” Reznor continued in the release. “WE’VE DECIDED TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS VERSION OF THE SOUNDTRACK RECORD THAT REPRESENTS WHAT BIRD BOX IS TO US. WE HOPE YOU ENJOY.”
Reznor and Ross have a long history composing soundtracks together, even before Ross was a full-time member for Nine Inch Nails. Their partnership on soundtracks for David Fincher’s The Social Network, The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo and Gone Girl helped solidify their status as influential film composers for the decade.
Both Reznor and Ross will be working on the upcoming Amy Adams film, The Woman in the Window, which is set to be released later this year. They are also set to compose a score for the upcoming HBO series adaption of Watchmen, the legendary graphic novel by Alan Moore.
Despite all of their recordings for soundtracks, both of the artists have also been busy touring for the better part of last year. Both of them have been bringing out a variety of old classics during their tours, playing the entirety of their 1992 EP Broken, which included their first performance of “Happiness in Slavery in 23 years.
They have even brought back some How To Destroy Angels tracks into their live shows, performing a slew of them last month during a performance in Los Angeles. The live band was joined by Reznor’s wife Mariqueen Maandig Reznor during the performance.
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat
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