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Thread: The Background World

  1. #31
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    This is my favorite track off the EP, and quite possibly one of my favorite NIN tracks all together.

    The ending is so awesome – and quite a brilliant way to end this album.

    But I desperately wish that it didn't have that skip in there, even though I get the concept behind it...

    When that beat comes back, I want the song to continue!

  2. #32
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    The Background World

    Quote Originally Posted by GFGohmann View Post
    This is my favorite track off the EP, and quite possibly one of my favorite NIN tracks all together.

    The ending is so awesome – and quite a brilliant way to end this album.

    But I desperately wish that it didn't have that skip in there, even though I get the concept behind it...

    When that beat comes back, I want the song to continue!
    Yes. I said this exact thing to my husband about the song. I like the end and I get the loop but I want the song to jam all the way out. Not make me blink repeatedly.

    For some reason, the loop reminds me of sunspots. The dun dun dunnnnnn.... I can't quite match it or describe it tho.

  3. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by GFGohmann View Post
    This is my favorite track off the EP, and quite possibly one of my favorite NIN tracks all together.

    The ending is so awesome – and quite a brilliant way to end this album.

    But I desperately wish that it didn't have that skip in there, even though I get the concept behind it...

    When that beat comes back, I want the song to continue!

    My favorite too. Like watching the hero walk off into the sunset on a glitching camcorder. The beat reminds me of a Stabbing Westward style.

  4. #34
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    The ending is beautiful. If you indulge yourself in it, you're going to have a great headbanging time. The track goes from sounding digital to analog. You can hear all kind of sounds with the drums and guitar getting manipulated to the max until it's barely the same beat. You can hear gunshots. You can hear the beat from Closer. You can hear the beat from Heresy. You can hear so much in those 52 manipulated loops that I wish it never ended.

    In a way, it shows NIN's mixing process.

    Honestly, it seems less of a stuck tape and more of what the multiple simulations of the world can result in a complete different reality. Maybe in 1 of the 52 simulations, TR would've stuck with 1 of the 52 beats, for they all sound acceptable to be made into a track, so he decided to add all of it with slight adjustments.

    I can't stop hearing the broken loop in my head. It's semi-therapeutic in a way.

    Brilliant EP, and I think TR just beat Hurt as the best closing track.

    They should end the concerts with this track, leave the track looping and bow out and walk out leaving the audience confused lol.

    EDIT: AND YES! When the beat comes on, I want it to continue as well! I laughed my ass off for a good minute when I realized WTF TR just did. A part of me thought maybe RAR wasn't exported properly. I didn't even realize the loop deteriorates until the 2nd listen. Fucking troll lol.
    Last edited by shagg_187; 07-21-2017 at 10:31 AM.

  5. #35
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    The end of this track reminds me of one of my favorite YouTube videos.

    VHS Generation Loss:
    Last edited by NIN64; 07-21-2017 at 10:32 AM.

  6. #36
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    The loop of the second part of TBW kind of became an earworm for me yesterday, and knowing little about video encoding I managed to put something together just for laughs.


    (I also labelled each loop against the FLAC release, and they're very regular, at ~8.777 s/loop, 52.255 loops in total)

    If anything, this was good enough for me that it's not that bad of an earworm anymore.

  7. #37
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    OK. So. Folks comparing TBW to The Great Destroyer need to sit down because the last few minutes of that song are some of the greatest music minutes in music history. The buildup and the destructions are insanely epic, hands down.

    I like TBW. I like the beat and I love the synth work on this and the whole EP. HOWEVER, that loop went on for about three minutes longer than it needed to. That doesn't mean I don't like it, but I'm definitely not blown away by it. I'm sure it's gonna grow on me, especially since I have the first four ending loops stuck in my head right now.

  8. #38
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    I was thinking there's definitely something hidden in the ending. Sounds like stretched out vocals or something, to me. Maybe screwing with the speed of the loops will reveal something?

  9. #39
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    I removed some of the noise in the last 2 minutes or so and was left with some very interesting sounds but nothing conclusive. Maybe someone whos better with that sort of thing could give it a try I'm just using Audacity

  10. #40
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    Mystery solved. The Background World is about his iPhone, and the loop is his ringtone. TR is trying to stay away from his phone and his phone won't stop ringing. Man gets 52 missed calls a day.

  11. #41
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    I cannot get this song out of my head. The loop has infected my brain and it's driving me insane (in only the best way, of course). This song fucking slays.

  12. #42
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    So the end looping part keeps getting stuck in my head. It also flip flop flops from this song to Black Noise and back.

  13. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by tremolo View Post
    I'vebeen wondering about how that machine/device is built (the one used in the PD soundtrack). I get the double tape thing, but I can't figure out how it is made to loop and record over and over without having to stop and switch tapes after every single repetition.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    this would obviously work best with tape decks that automatically switch direction when the end of a side is reached, so that no rewinding has to be done

    record audio on to tape in deck 1 > record from deck 1 to tape in deck 2 > record from deck 2 back to deck 1 > repeat until desired effect is achieved

  14. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by blassster View Post
    Lots of work, probably no payoff:

    Since the quiet gap becomes a scratchy thing in the TBW outro, can someone edit all of the gaps together into one sound? And also supply a spectro of it.
    And maybe mess with speed/pitch

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    Quote Originally Posted by eversonpoe View Post
    this would obviously work best with tape decks that automatically switch direction when the end of a side is reached, so that no rewinding has to be done

    record audio on to tape in deck 1 > record from deck 1 to tape in deck 2 > record from deck 2 back to deck 1 > repeat until desired effect is achieved
    If it was not a digital process then this type of system would make a lot of sense: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tape_loop

  16. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by eversonpoe View Post

    record audio on to tape in deck 1 > record from deck 1 to tape in deck 2
    > record from deck 2 back to deck 1 > repeat until desired effect is achieved
    I do get what is in bold, but after that, someone would have to stop play in deck 1, stop record in deck 2, rewind tape 2 to the beginning of the latest recording, hit play on deck 2, and record in deck 1.

    I get how it can be achieved manually, but it seems like a big pain in the ass. I guess the machine that was built for TR and AR automates the process somehow and takes care of that, since they mention leaving the room for hours while the copying process is happening.

  17. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by NIN64 View Post
    The end of this track reminds me of one of my favorite YouTube videos.

    VHS Generation Loss:
    I thought the exact same thing...

  18. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by tremolo View Post
    I do get what is in bold, but after that, someone would have to stop play in deck 1, stop record in deck 2, rewind tape 2 to the beginning of the latest recording, hit play on deck 2, and record in deck 1.

    I get how it can be achieved manually, but it seems like a big pain in the ass. I guess the machine that was built for TR and AR automates the process somehow and takes care of that, since they mention leaving the room for hours while the copying process is happening.
    you can really easily set up a relay system that switches from "play" mode to "record" mode if you have any kind of basic engineering experience. my dad back in the 70s set up a series of three turntables that would automatically play in series (table a would reach the end of the record, table b would start; when table c ended, it would start table a again, where you hopefully would have changed the record).

  19. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by eversonpoe View Post
    you can really easily set up a relay system that switches from "play" mode to "record" mode if you have any kind of basic engineering experience. my dad back in the 70s set up a series of three turntables that would automatically play in series (table a would reach the end of the record, table b would start; when table c ended, it would start table a again, where you hopefully would have changed the record).
    That's the part that really interests me, the automation of the process (rewinding to a specific point, switching the functions of the decks). It's probably very easy to do for someone who knows some programming (not my case... i don't know shit). I just have a very inquisitive mind, and happen to be intrigued by the process, that's all.

  20. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by pushingreality View Post
    I've been listening to this song a lot because it's super awesome, but I'm also trying to figure out what is happening right around 3:39.

    I tried to clean it up...it sounds like two people talking, quickly followed by something being whispered.

    https://clyp.it/aejq2egr

    I checked to see if anyone mentioned it in that crazy "Add Violence" thread but didn't see anything about it.
    I am not realy fond of uploading music, even partially and altered even for "fair use" so: I also isolated some vocals from the ending of the song and ended up with a similar but offcourse different sounding clip (different people, different settings): "All (part ?) of you, try not to see it." This is being looped right before the final loop begins. But later on during the main degrading loop i also think to be hearing: "al (part ?) of youuuuu" where the "you" seems to have gained some length inbetween the heavy noise.

  21. #51
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    Quote Originally Posted by shagg_187 View Post
    The ending is beautiful. If you indulge yourself in it, you're going to have a great headbanging time. The track goes from sounding digital to analog. You can hear all kind of sounds with the drums and guitar getting manipulated to the max until it's barely the same beat. You can hear gunshots. You can hear the beat from Closer. You can hear the beat from Heresy. You can hear so much in those 52 manipulated loops that I wish it never ended.

    In a way, it shows NIN's mixing process.

    Honestly, it seems less of a stuck tape and more of what the multiple simulations of the world can result in a complete different reality. Maybe in 1 of the 52 simulations, TR would've stuck with 1 of the 52 beats, for they all sound acceptable to be made into a track, so he decided to add all of it with slight adjustments.

    I can't stop hearing the broken loop in my head. It's semi-therapeutic in a way.

    Brilliant EP, and I think TR just beat Hurt as the best closing track.

    They should end the concerts with this track, leave the track looping and bow out and walk out leaving the audience confused lol.

    EDIT: AND YES! When the beat comes on, I want it to continue as well! I laughed my ass off for a good minute when I realized WTF TR just did. A part of me thought maybe RAR wasn't exported properly. I didn't even realize the loop deteriorates until the 2nd listen. Fucking troll lol.
    What time stamp do you hear Closer and Heresy?

  22. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by jmtd View Post


    One hole in your theory: that would mean it took a full year to record the song. Do you think that's likely?

    I think he's been exploring this idea and the equipment he got assembled for Patriot's Day is awesome but my gut feeling is the looping on this is likely a more digital thing. It felt to me more like some kind of filter/feedback loop being applied over and over.

    I'm totally up for the idea of it being 52 different snapshots of the loop captured over any duration, but for that type of noise, it would have to be over the span of a few days or weeks. I know mentioning a year's worth of time is totally a stretch but I'm not stuck on that. Also, if this isn't the tape looping technique used, then I bet he was strongly influenced by the concept to manually construct this section of the song.

  23. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ribbitman View Post
    What time stamp do you hear Closer and Heresy?

    The "chorus" includes a beat that is extremely similar to Closer, especially the groove and the snare sample. The syncopation is little different at times but the beat immediately reminded me of it. Same with All Time Low (which Trent sort of confirms the connection in the live versions)

    I think he's hearing Heresy in the percussive loops that start after the strings at 1:38.

  24. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lt. Randazzo View Post
    OK. So. Folks comparing TBW to The Great Destroyer need to sit down because the last few minutes of that song are some of the greatest music minutes in music history. The buildup and the destructions are insanely epic, hands down.

    I like TBW. I like the beat and I love the synth work on this and the whole EP. HOWEVER, that loop went on for about three minutes longer than it needed to. That doesn't mean I don't like it, but I'm definitely not blown away by it. I'm sure it's gonna grow on me, especially since I have the first four ending loops stuck in my head right now.

    After I heard it, I immediately messaged my music nerd friends telling them how NIN just did something I've never heard used in music production on a regular album (non avant-garde/noise/remix) before. I usually find myself wanting to shut it off around 8:30 as well.

  25. #55
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    What about version with the order of loops reversed, getting cleaner and cleaner with each one? :-)

    But, I think I won't need it. A few more listens, and I can create anything with this just in my mind. A few more listens, and I can modify the universe. :-)

    Edit: Just listened on headphones to reversed version of the whole song (which is not what I suggested above, and any free editor like Audacity, Ocean Audio, Wavosaur can do this) - well, interesting, but I don't think I'll try again... ;-)
    Last edited by Substance242; 07-22-2017 at 02:48 AM.

  26. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by NIN64 View Post
    The end of this track reminds me of one of my favorite YouTube videos.

    VHS Generation Loss:
    Fuck, I was gonna post that exact same video. I see that effect happening in my mind the entire time that song is decaying.
    Last edited by ImTheWiseJanitor; 07-22-2017 at 11:13 AM.

  27. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by captainbeyond View Post
    The "chorus" includes a beat that is extremely similar to Closer, especially the groove and the snare sample. The syncopation is little different at times but the beat immediately reminded me of it. Same with All Time Low (which Trent sort of confirms the connection in the live versions)

    I think he's hearing Heresy in the percussive loops that start after the strings at 1:38.
    These are certainly hearable during the last 7 min loops/distortion.

  28. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by captainbeyond View Post
    Regarding the last 7 minutes of The Background World:

    Trent discussed using a tape looping technique on the Patriot's Day soundtrack. I have a strong feeling this was how the ending loop of The Background World was created. It's possible they could have pasted together a loop taken from 52 different days or weeks to create the quicker progression of the insane deterioration.







    What does everyone think about this?

    (Sorry I am reposting this from my comment in the "Add Violence" thread but my post was surrounded by the incoherent non-informative rambling of another user and this song need its own thread.)
    The 52 loops corresponds with his age. Thought maybe that could mean something.

  29. #59
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    Quote Originally Posted by TrentKliner View Post
    The 52 loops corresponds with his age. Thought maybe that could mean something.
    This has been said about 52 times now

    Edit: sorry that was in a different thread

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    I love this song! I have to say though it was a strange one to have stuck in my head for a 4 hour long, hot bike ride. The last hour of the ride was the end of the song over and over and I couldn't get my brain to go back to the beginning.

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