How Nine Inch Nails Took Me Down a Bizarre Soundtrack Rabbit Hole

If you’ve followed Nine Inch Nails over the years, you know Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross aren’t just musicians—they’re master architects of cinematic soundscapes. Their recent work on Tron: Ares continues this legacy, weaving atmosphere and emotion with sound in ways that feel both futuristic and hauntingly familiar. What’s fascinating is how this modern soundtrack journey connects back to an unlikely source: a rare Soviet-era instrument that literally makes music from light.

The Strange Connection Between Nine Inch Nails and Coil

Back in the early 2000s, Trent Reznor collaborated with Coil, an experimental electronic group known for pushing the boundaries of sound and visuals. One of Coil’s members, Peter Christopherson, was a filmmaker who directed music videos for Nine Inch Nails. Their creative relationship was more than surface level—it was an exploration of dark textures and sonic experimentation.

Coil embarked on an extraordinary trip to Russia to record an album using a unique and nearly forgotten instrument: the ANS optical synthesizer. This machine shaped sound based on light patterns etched onto glass plates, and its eerie tones were immortalized in the soundtrack of Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1972 sci-fi classic Solaris.

What Is the ANS Optical Synthesizer?

Invented by Evgeny Murzin in the 1940s, the ANS synthesizer is a beast of an instrument, physically the size of a car, and unlike anything you’ve heard. Composers "draw" music by scratching shapes and symbols onto glass sheets. Light then passes through these drawings inside the machine’s optical system, translating the patterns into sound waves.

The result? Otherworldly soundscapes that seem to come from another dimension—perfect for surreal, meditative films like Solaris.

Coil's Mystical Experiment

Coil’s album created with the ANS is a sonic ritual. They etched occult symbols and nature-inspired images onto glass plates, creating audio that feels part scientific experiment and part mystical ceremony. It’s a perfect embodiment of Coil’s ethos—blurring the line between art and the arcane.

This collaboration shows how the ANS, a relic of Soviet innovation, found new life decades later in experimental music, influencing artists like Nine Inch Nails.

From Soviet Synths to Modern Film Scores

The connection from Solaris through Coil to Nine Inch Nails’ Tron: Ares soundtrack reveals a fascinating lineage of electronic music and film sound design. The ANS synthesizer’s influence is a reminder that innovation in sound often comes from reimagining the past in new contexts.

In today’s film scoring landscape, where Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross lean on both cutting-edge technology and rich musical histories, this unexpected synthesizer’s ghost lingers in their work.

Why This Sonic History Matters for Film Buffs and Music Lovers

Understanding this lineage enriches our appreciation of modern soundtracks. The ANS synthesizer story reminds us of the creative bridges connecting film, music, and technology throughout decades. It highlights how artists keep pushing boundaries while honoring the past—even when the past involves giant machines that "play" light.

Watch the Full Exploration

Dive deeper into this bizarre soundtrack rabbit hole by watching the full Film Dweeb breakdown:
How Nine Inch Nails Took Me Down a Bizarre Soundtrack Rabbit Hole