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For the second installment of a planned series of three EPs, Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor eases up a bit on the harsh, experimental noisescapes of initial volley Not The Actual Events. "Less Than" indulges Reznor's gifts for New Wave keyboard swells and danceable beats, while "Not Anymore" thrashes about with a near classic-rock swagger and a shout-along chorus. In contrast, "This Isn't the Place" and "The Lovers" are subdued, almost ambient ballads that display Reznor’s range and maturity by luxuriating in tangible sonic beauty.