Case Study /
GHOST V:
TOGETHER
Nine Inch Nails (NIN) is an incredibly well-known band formed in 1988. Most famous for their album “The Downward Spiral”, the band thrives on trying to be more experimental and controversial with each appearance. Since 2016, Atticus Ross has been collaborating with Trent Reznor, considerably altering the way they produce music. Mainly creating music scores nowadays, NIN is still a very present figure in the music world. Ghost V: Together is an album that continues the Ghost series, contrasting its counterpart; Ghost VI: Locusts. These songs had been in the work before the pandemic hit the world, but truly blossomed in the new social context. Aiming to channel hope and solidarity through their experimental album, NIN made Ghost V: Together into a whole experience in itself.

The mandate was to create a visual universe that would allow for the creation of a promotional poster and a vinyl that goes beyond the commercial format. The challenge was to stay true to the sound identity of the album while not straying too far from the grunginess the public associates to NIN. I ended up getting very inspired by the music itself, which became almost meditative to me, and allowed myself to live my emotions throughout the project. From frustration to deep understanding, I’ve truly explored what the album meant for me and for this project.
Poster on concrete background, hands peeking out and holding it.
The thread signifies so much. It’s the web of connections with others, it’s the urge to hide behind something, but it’s also the ability to mark your existence through action. In the same vein as the previous highlighted detail, this was a seemingly random moment which ended up being crucial to the visual development of the poster. I had reached a wall and felt unsure how to abstract the image I now had, and, after trying many different iterations, I let out my frustration on a printed copy of the image. The result inspired me and became its main feature.
The visuals for this poster signify the ability to connect with others even when it feels unattainable. I spent a lot of time taking pictures of crowds in Montreal for this project, hoping to showcase the lack of connection and to invite people to break out of this monotony. But I was surprised when a random person posed in front of the camera, offering me the connection I was trying to prove could not exist in such a space. In the end, he inspired me and became the base on which I worked. 
Front of the vinyl pocket on rocks.
Vinyl pocket open on rocks.
Close up of the booklet and the vinyl.
Close up of the spot varnish.
The booklet is something that I hold dear to my heart. In my quest to understand this album, I ended up reading a lot of fans’ comments about it. What I found was that the music they had made mattered a lot more than I could have ever imagined. Beautiful confessions from strangers I would never meet made me understand its importance. I wanted fans that would buy the vinyl to get access to this experience too, connecting them to plenty of others who, just like them, had reflected on these same exact sounds. It nicely connected to the idea of the threads, also, as it created a link between individuals.
Using only spot varnish for the band’s name was my way to cast aside their popularity. I felt that this experimental album needed space to shine on its own, without relying solely on NIN’s name. It also makes the object intricate, asking to be looked at under many different angles.
The secret compartment in the back of the vinyl pocket unfolded on rocks.
Close up of the secret compartment.
The back part of this vinyl pocket is meant to be broken apart. A die cut in the middle of each section allows users to see that there is something beyond what would usually be expected. As scary as it is, the courageous people who will risk it will find secret messages from the band hidden there. Hoping to convey a sense of exploration and confidence in trying new things, the text is built on the foundation of a deep love for the band’s fanbase and for the human experience.
enemies to lovers type of project.
Interactive element.