ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Nine Inch Noize

Legendary alternative rock band Nine Inch Nails is characterized by innovation. With Trent Reznor at its core, the live band consists of a rotating cast of instrumentalists that are assembled only for touring. They’re known for rearranging their songs to fit any given performance by assimilating melodies and lyrics of one song into another. With this in mind, their most recent collaboration with German-Iraqi electronic music producer Boys Noize (aka Alex Ridha) should come as no surprise.

After collaborating on the scores for Challengers and Tron: Ares, Reznor invited Ridha to join him for the Peel It Black Tour with the intention to express the band’s sound in "more purely electronic terms live." Known for his remixes of artists such as Daft Punk, Snoop Dogg, and N.E.R.D., Ridha was named one of Rolling Stones' top 10 DJs That Rule The Earth in 2012. His music draws from several influences, including hip-hop and disco. On tour with Nine Inch Nails, he joined the group each night for an EDM-inspired section of their set.

The group’s debut performance as Nine Inch Noize took place at Coachella on April 11th and was followed by the release of their self-titled collaborative album on April 17th. The record draws from all corners of Nine Inch Nails’ discography to supercharge already beloved songs with new rave-like energy. Highlights include "Heresy", which features vocal contributions from Trent Reznor’s wife Melanie Maandig, and an enhanced version of the iconic "Closer". The record also features a cover of "Memorabilia" by Soft Cell as well as of "Parasite" by How to Destroy Angels. 

Critics have praised the album’s fresh take on Nine Inch Nails’ most popular songs. While drastically different in terms of genre, Nine Inch Noize retains the industrial influences that permeate Nine Inch Nails’ discography. Beyond the songs themselves, what we love most about this record is the reminder that no artist has to remain locked into a specific style or genre. When an artist allows themselves to experiment with something new, the result might just be electrifying.