Trent Reznor Teams Up With Danny Elfman on 'Native Intelligence'

Legendary film scorer and composer Danny Elfman returned to the rock world in 2021 with the Big Mess album, and for the second time since that album's release, he's partnered up with another musician who's had success in both the rock and film worlds, Trent Reznor. Reznor has teamed up with Elfman for an epic reimagining of Elfman's song "Native Intelligence" that arrives today (March 21).

The four-and-a-half minute song features Reznor's lead vocal and Elfman's backing vocal playing out over a syncopated orchestral arrangement with an edgy rock instrumental makeover. This follows the pair's previous collaboration on the song "True" that was released last year.

Both of the Elfman and Reznor collaborations are featured on Elfman's collector's edition box set for Big Mess that includes all 18 original songs from Big Mess and bonus discs containing additional unreleased reinterpretations and remixes of tracks from the album. Only 1,500 copies of the box set are being sold worldwide, so you'll want to act fast to pick one up via right here.

Included within the box set is a 60-page, hardcover artbook containing never-before-seen renderings of the distinctively unsettling digital sculptures of Elfman done by artist Sarah Sitkin, a 20-page stitched soft cover lyric book with behind-the-scenes photos, a 12” x 9” art print signed by Danny himself, a detailed life-sized light up model of Elfman’s peculiar hand designed to be a stand-alone showpiece or one-of-a-kind night-light, a code which provides downloadable digital audio files and a behind-the-scenes mini documentary on the making of Big Mess, and four LPs on exclusive color variants.

The bonus discs are comprised of new remixes from HEALTH, clipping. and more, as well as never-before-released songs with featured vocalists including Rebekah Del Rio, FEVER333, Blixa Bargeld and the aforementioned Trent Reznor.

Elfman will return to the concert stage this spring at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, where he'll play songs from Big Mess live for the first time, as well as cuts from his Oingo Boingo early days and some of his film score work. He's on board for the April 16 and 23 dates of Coachella.

Get a listen to "Native Intelligence" below and if you like what you hear, the song is available via the platform of your choosing at this location.