Shattered Ground by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis is 85 BPM — Andante (walking pace).
Half-time 43 BPM · Double-time 170 BPM · released 2021
Song DNA
Misophonia Triggers
An introspective ballad exploring emotional dissolution and romantic despair through poetic metaphor of the moon as a departing lover.
Hear it the way it was made
The right gear changes everything.
Moods: cathartic, contemplative, emotional, introspective, melancholy
Traditions: alternative rock, art rock, dark wave
"Shattered Ground" climbs hard.
Dynamic range 7/10 places this in our upper band. The opening volume that feels comfortable will not be comfortable at the climax. If you are setting this up for a focused listen, anchor your volume to the quietest section, not the loudest. The arc is the point of the song; if you blunt it by riding the volume knob, you lose what makes it work. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis built the dynamic shape on purpose. Plan around it.
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 7/10 means this song moves. Expect a real volume climb between quiet sections and the loudest part of the arrangement — enough that you may want to set the initial volume below where you'd normally land.
Sudden changes: mild. There are one or two transitions worth knowing about, though they're musically resolved rather than surprise-driven.
Texture is layered — a full arrangement with clear separation between parts.
Predictability is medium — conventional structure overall, with one or two moments that deviate from what you'd expect.
Vocal style: dynamic vocals.
Where this sits in Nick Cave & Warren Ellis's catalog
We have 5 songs from Nick Cave & Warren Ellis in the library. Of those, 1 are rated Safe, 3 Moderate, and 1 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 7/10 sits above the artist average of 6.6, making it the #3 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.
Other tracks from Carnage
We have 5 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans moderate in sensory profile.
- Carnage — moderate DR 7
- White Elephant — intense DR 8
- Hand of God — moderate DR 7
- Balcony Man — safe DR 4
2021 context
Released in 2021. We have 411 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.2/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 2020s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Guides that may help
How fast is "Shattered Ground"?
85 BPM — Slow (downtempo / ballad)
Too slow for most running; good for warm-up walks or cool-down.
Warm-up, cool-down, yoga, stretching.
Morning coffee, deep work, commute wind-down.
Browse more songs at 85 BPM.
When "Shattered Ground" works, and when it doesn't
Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.
No — too dynamic or too many surprises. Save for active listening.
No — 85 BPM is too slow for sustained cardio.
No — contains elements that will keep an awake nervous system engaged.
Yes — predictable enough for safe driving attention, interesting enough to stay engaged.
Yes — sits in the background without demanding attention.
Yes — this is a song for actively feeling what you came to feel, not for background.
Related reading
Editorial guides that cover this song's use cases, moods, or artist.
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Why this rating
We rate this song Moderate because it falls between our Safe and Intense thresholds on at least one dimension. Moderate is the default for most well-produced music that has real arc but no surprise elements. Full rubric: methodology.
See how “Shattered Ground” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.
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Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-13. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.
Think this rating is wrong? Contact the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.
By the numbers: how this song compares
Computed from this song’s place among the 19,209 songs we’ve measured.
Where it sits in 19,000 songs
On our 19k-song scale this lands in the middle band — more energetic than 62% of songs, calmer than the other 38%. Its intensity reading of 50/100 comes from a dynamic range of 7/10, layered texture, mild shifts, and dynamic vocals. It shares this stretch of the spectrum with thousands of other tracks, so the finer fingerprint below is what really separates it.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is a slow, unhurried pace: more extreme on that axis than 77% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on full chaos — sudden changes, huge quiet-to-loud swings, and relentless energy — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.
Feels almost identical to
Closest matches by feel across all 19,209 measured songs — not by genre or artist, by how they actually move.
What it’s good for
Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.
2021 in context
The 410 songs we’ve measured from 2021 average a dynamic range of 6.2/10. At 7/10, this track is louder and more dynamic than its year.
Mixes smoothly with
Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.
The fingerprint
The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.
Frequently asked about "Shattered Ground"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "Shattered Ground" by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis?
"Shattered Ground" by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis has a tempo of 85 BPM (Andante (walking pace)). At half-time that is 43 BPM, and at double-time 170 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "Shattered Ground" by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis?
"Shattered Ground" by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis rates as Moderate intensity. Dynamic range 7/10, mild sudden changes, layered texture. Moderate is the default for well-produced music with real arc but no surprise elements.
How loud is "Shattered Ground" — what is its dynamic range?
"Shattered Ground" has a dynamic range of 7/10. Noticeable climb from quiet sections to loudest point. Set opening volume slightly lower than your preferred peak.
Does "Shattered Ground" have sudden or surprising changes?
"Shattered Ground" has mild sudden changes — one or two transitions worth knowing about, but they are musically resolved rather than surprise-driven.
What is "Shattered Ground" best for?
In our library "Shattered Ground" is recommended for: deep listening, emotional release, focus, meditation. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "Shattered Ground" released?
"Shattered Ground" is from 2021, on the album "Carnage". It appears in our 2020s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "Shattered Ground"?
We tag "Shattered Ground" as cathartic, contemplative, emotional, introspective, melancholy. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "Shattered Ground"?
The vocal style is dynamic vocals.
Is "Shattered Ground" good for running?
Not really — at 85 BPM it's below most running cadences. Better for warm-up, cool-down, or walking. Recreational runners typically step at 140-175 BPM.
Is "Shattered Ground" good for studying?
Only partially. The song's dynamic range (7/10) means there will be loud moments that break focus during deep work.
Can I use "Shattered Ground" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Contains transitions that will wake you up.
Should I listen to "Shattered Ground"?
"Shattered Ground" is Moderate intensity — fine for most listeners, but with enough dynamic activity that it works best as active listening rather than background.
Songs with the same DNA
layered texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.
Safer alternatives with a similar feel
These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.
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