I just wanted to take a couple of minutes out of my busy day to let everyone know that Trent Reznor has delivered unto us a new Nine Inch Nails album entitled Ghosts I-IV. Ghosts is comprised of 36 individual tracks, unlike all other NIN albums this is entirely instrumental. So, if you are looking for angst ridden ranting you’ll have to look somewhere else. Out of complete lack of a better description, I will regurgitate Reznor’s own description of the project:

I’ve been considering and wanting to make this kind of record for years, but by its very nature it wouldn’t have made sense until this point. This collection of music is the result of working from a very visual perspective – dressing imagined locations and scenarios with sound and texture; a soundtrack for daydreams. I’m very pleased with the result and the ability to present it directly to you without interference. I hope you enjoy the first four volumes of Ghosts.

Trent continues to ride his own bandwagon by offering this album up in a myriad of formats and price scale, from free 9-song digital download, to a $300 Ultra-Deluxe Limited Edition Package that includes:

• Ghosts I-IV in a hardcover fabric slipcase containing: 2 audio CDs, 1 data DVD with all 36 tracks in multi-track format
• A Blu-ray disc with Ghosts I-IV in high-definition 96/24 stereo and accompanying slideshow
• An exclusive four-LP 180 gram vinyl set in a fabric slipcase.
• Two exclusive limited edition Giclee prints in a luxurious package.
• Limited to 2500 pieces, numbered and signed by Trent Reznor.

So, depending on how much of a super-fan you are, or rather how much change you can spare, there is a package that is right for you. Personally, I am glad that Trent hasn’t given up on net distribution and the idea of Free music. After the chiding message that he posted after the lower than expected free-to-paid download ratio of Saul William’s Niggy Tardust album I half expected him to give up the revolution entirely. Instead, he evolved his strategy. Let’s hope it works out for him.

Personally, I will have to wait until tonight to actually download the album, but from what I heard on the pop-up player before their servers ground to a halt was exceptional work. Soft beautiful pieces reminiscent of Fragile, there were ambient melodies with glitch effects smattered throughout.