
Danny Elfman has joined forces once again with Trent Reznor to release a reimagined version of his 2021 Big Mess cut, Native Intelligence.
It’s the second time the pair have linked up to give an Elfman track a fresh lick of sonic paint, after the iconic composer and Nine Inch Nails leader put their heads together for an ultra-industrial reworking of True last year.
And, in very much the same vein as True, this newly released take on Native Intelligence dials everything up to 11. Doubling up the see-sawing intro bass guitar melody with an acoustic guitar signifies an immediate modification to the track, which soon sets the frequency spectrum alight via super-charged cinematic strings and bubbling guitar riffs.
The explosive nature of the track continues across its four-and-a-half-minute run time, courtesy of some souped-up, wall-shaking low-end soundscapes, with Reznor lending a hand in the lead vocal department.
You can check out Native Intelligence in the video below.
When the pair linked up last year, Elfman revealed it had been the first duet collaboration he'd ever done in his life, and said, “To do it with Trent was a real surprise and a treat. He's always been a big inspiration to me, not to mention he has one of my all-time-favorite singing voices.”
It’s the second track from Big Mess to receive a retrospective remix, after the double album arrived in June last year. When it dropped, it was Elfman’s first solo record in 37 years, and one that was born out of the Covid pandemic.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Likening it to “pandora’s box”, Elfman told Guitar World, “Everything was really raw, and I found I was writing much more personal than I was used to, and it was kinda scary in a way but once I got used to getting it off my chest I thought, ‘What the fuck do I care?’ If they’re not into it, they’re not into it. And if they disagree, they disagree. I’m not going to worry about it.”
The new version of Native Intelligence will be joined by the pair’s take on True on the limited-edition Big Mess collector’s edition box set, which also features additional unreleased remixes, access to a behind-the-scenes mini-documentary on the making of the album and more.
To find out more, visit Danny Elfman’s website.

Matt is the GuitarWorld.com News Editor. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
“I heard the Money solo and thought, ‘This is amazing!’ So I sent David a telegram saying, ‘Remember me? I'm in a band now called Roxy Music’”: Phil Manzanera on his friendship with David Gilmour, and the key to the Pink Floyd man's unmistakable tone
“It’s really quite genius, but also hard to learn – it sounds insane, but sometimes the easiest songs still get me nervous”: Kiki Wong reveals the Smashing Pumpkins song she had the most trouble with