Cortini, who started out as a rock guitarist, joined [Nine Inch Nails](https://pitchfork.com/artists/3043-nine-inch-nails/) in 2005, but today he is also known for the haunting synthesizer music he creates under his own name. Notable for its restraint, his work draws from the cosmic yearning of ’70s Berlin, the stillness of ambient, and the deep focus of drone. But more than any single style, what distinguishes it is its sonic character: distant, muted, at once futuristic and ancient.