Nine Inch Nails – Closer – Verse 1
Closer < All Analyses
Chord Progression
[‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’]
Chord Progression Analysis
The verse of “Closer” consists solely of a repeated Cm7 chord. Therefore, the chord progression becomes:
C minor 7th (i7)
This progression will be illustrated in this format: Cm7 (i7) for each instance in the verse.
In context of the key being C minor:
“`Cm7 (i7), Cm7 (i7), Cm7 (i7), Cm7 (i7)“`
Similar Chord Progressions
“Closer” presents a unique example with its four-beat repetition of a singular Cm7 chord; this unchanging chordal texture is rather rare in popular music. However, there are similar use of such repetition in minimalist genres. A close example is “Stranger” by Portishead, where the verses emphasize a repeated Em6 chord.
“Stranger” by Portishead: `Em6 (i6), Em6 (i6), Em6 (i6), Em6 (i6)`
Musical Analysis
Focusing exclusively on the repetitiveness of Cm7 for verses creates a spell-binding, hypnotic feel. Playing off this sameness, the effect is further amplified by the undercurrent of the song’s textured and repetitive rhythms, electronic sounds and drum patterns. This dark, brooding sound is inherent to the aesthetics of Nine Inch Nails – showing the interplay between minimalistic simplicity and the emotional, atmospheric undercurrent carried within.
Overall Analysis
“Closer” by Nine Inch Nails works within a minimalist musical framework, where a few shiftless chords and tension-filled pentatonic melodies define the song. It inculcates a dark atmospheric mood through its instrumentation and harmony. The repetitive and consistent use of the Cm7 chord creates a haunting, pulsating groove that add to the atmospheric layer of the song.
Style Analysis
Nine Inch Nails, Denvering into the Industrial genre, strategically employs repetition and minimalist chord progressions to reveal sonic atmospheres tending more towards the eerie and melancholic. The stylistic use of repetitive sequences, electronic soundscapes, and sparse chord progressions is prevalent in the electronic sub-genres, including Techno, Ambient and IDM.
What are the chords in: Nine Inch Nails – Closer – Verse 1?
[‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’, ‘Cm7’]
