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Game Music, Indie Music, Reviews

SHADOWRUN: HONG KONG VINYL (REVIEW)

May 9, 2018 | Ryan Paquet | Comments Off on SHADOWRUN: HONG KONG VINYL (REVIEW) Share this SHADOWRUN: HONG KONG VINYL (REVIEW)

We recently reviewed Jon Everist’s soundtrack to Shadowrun: DRAGONFALL on Vinyl LP which you can read here if you missed it. The composer also provided OSV with a review copy of their Shadowrun: HONG KONG Vinyl LP. I first experienced this soundtrack back in 2015 and declared it a must listen, it also led me to choose Jon Everist as my pick for composer of year.

Listening to the soundtrack on vinyl for me was a new way to experience a soundtrack I fell in love with years ago. Read on for my full review of the double vinyl album, which includes a detailed look at the album art and packaging.

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Game Music, Indie Music

Jon Everist’s score to BATTLETECH is available for Pre-order

April 23, 2018 | Ryan Paquet | Comments Off on Jon Everist’s score to BATTLETECH is available for Pre-order Share this

I have been anticipating the soundtrack to Battletech since 2016. Jon Everist discussed his work on the score in an interview last year which you can read here if you missed it. The soundtrack will be released on April 24, 2018 coinciding with the release of the game which is also available for pre-order on Steam.

The album contains 60 tracks, featuring over 3 hours of music from Harebrained Schemes epic turn-based tactical game. You can listen to the samples below including the music from the game’s opening cinematic.

<a href="http://joneverist.bandcamp.com/album/battletech-original-soundtrack">BATTLETECH (Original Soundtrack) by Jon Everist</a>

The music was performed by the Budapest Symphonic Scoring Orchestra, the Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt, and the Live Choir was recorded with members of the Latvian Radio Choir. The album also features solo performances by cellist Erika Kádi and vocalist Emily Ridgway.

The soundtrack is available to order directly on Jon Everist’s bandcamp page digitally for $8.99. Check back with OSV for more on Jon Everist’s music, including an upcoming review of his Shadowrun: Hong Kong soundtrack on Vinyl LP.

Are you excited for Battletech?
Game Music, Indie Music, Reviews

SHADOWRUN: DRAGONFALL VINYL (REVIEW)

April 9, 2018 | Ryan Paquet | 1 Comment Share this SHADOWRUN: DRAGONFALL VINYL (REVIEW)

On February 26, 2018, Black Screen Records released the soundtracks to Shadowrun: Dragonfall, and Shadowrun: Hong Kong on 180g Vinyl LP. Jon Everist composed the scores and graciously supplied OSV with signed review copies of both albums and their respective art prints. This week’s review focuses on Shadowrun: Dragonfall, and my full review of Shadowrun: Hong Kong is on the way.

Over the past few years the release of video game soundtracks on vinyl has blossomed, and some have been more disappointing the others. I am very happy to report that this release does not disappoint. Read on for my full review of the album, which includes a look at the album art and packaging as it’s an essential part of the experience.

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Game Music

DIVE: Starpath Original Game Soundtrack Now Available

February 21, 2018 | Brenna Wilkes | Comments Off on DIVE: Starpath Original Game Soundtrack Now Available Share this

Earlier this month saw the release of the sci-fi, third-person runner game DIVE: Starpath on Steam by Gravity Well Studios. The game’s soundtrack, composed by Nick Borrego, has also been release by Materia Collective and features otherworldly compositions among the 8 tracks of the album.

DIVE Starpath opened the way for me to celebrate the sci-fi soundscapes that I’ve fallen in love with throughout my life. During the process, I had a sense of my younger days, enthralled with Mellon Collie-era Smashing Pumpkins, but stretching to current times where musicians like Inon Zur and directors like Ridley Scott set my sights incredibly high. – Nick Borrego, Composer

<a href="http://nickborrego.bandcamp.com/album/dive-starpath-original-game-soundtrack">DIVE: Starpath (Original Game Soundtrack) by Nick Borrego</a>

<a href="http://nickborrego.bandcamp.com/album/dive-starpath-original-game-soundtrack">DIVE: Starpath (Original Game Soundtrack) by Nick Borrego</a>

DIVE: Starpath is an action-packed runner (or flyer!) developed by Gravity Well Studios that details the adventure of Diver Juno as he pursues a mysterious space traveler around the heavenly orbits of unknown planets. The game is currently out on Steam, free-to-play, with the game’s soundtrack currently available for purchase on Bandcamp and streaming on Spotify.
Chip Music, Game Music

River City Ransom: Underground Updates with New Soundtrack

November 17, 2017 | Brenna Wilkes | Comments Off on River City Ransom: Underground Updates with New Soundtrack Share this

Back in July of this year, the game River City Ransom: Underground was hit with DMCA strikes due to issues regarding its soundtrack and music. One of the subcontracted composers, Alex Mauer, stated Conatus Creative used Mauer’s music without fair compensation or permission, and thus issued the DMCA strikes against the game, which temporarily took it off Steam. Conatus Creative has affirmed consistently that Mauer’s claims have zero legal basis, but decided to make a completely clean break from Mauer and have an entirely new soundtrack composed for the game.

Yesterday, Conatus issued an update on the River City Ransom: Underground Kickstarter that stated that the new soundtrack had been completed, and that the game has been updated on Steam to include the new music.

We’re excited to release Dino Lionetti’s new soundtrack for River City Ransom: Underground! Dino, one of the talents behind Cheap Dinosaurs, co-composed the original soundtrack for the game. Now he’s back with an all new rendition, blending hints of classic Technōs groove with subtle, catchy, and cohesive tunes we think you’ll love.

Lionetti was also a subcontracted composer on the original soundtrack with Mauer and Rich “Distasterpeace” Vreeland. Dino confirmed the updated via Twitter as well.

now it can be told: i spent the last few months working on a new soundtrack for river city ransom underground, and now it’s out.

— ✨✈ (@cheapdinosaurs) November 16, 2017

To celebrate both the holidays and the update to the game, River City Ransom: Underground will be on sale at 50% off on Steam until this coming Monday, the 20th. If you haven’t picked up the game yet, you can now do so on the cheap and check out the brand new chiptune soundtrack by Dino!
Game Music, Indie Music

Jettomero and its Spacey Downtempo OST out now

September 18, 2017 | Shawn Sackenheim | Comments Off on Jettomero and its Spacey Downtempo OST out now Share this

Halted by the game’s striking art style, I clicked ‘play’ on the trailer for Jettomero: Hero of the Universe and then immediately went searching for the soundtrack. The game just launched on Steam and Xbox One, and while I’m interested in its procedurally generated universe and hapless hero who’s trying not to destroy everything, I can listen to the music right now.

Jettomero is another one-man production so while Gabriel Koenig (aka Ghost Time Games) was making the game he was also creating the soundtrack. Well, almost at the same time. Koenig outlined his current creative process in a devlog post, “I ended up writing/recording each song in a single session each – usually around 4-5 hours, which I find is one of the only ways that I can work on music these days.”

<a href="http://gabrielkoenig.bandcamp.com/album/jettomero-ost">Jettomero OST by Gabriel Koenig</a>

He cites the likes of Boards of Canada and Phantogram as inspirations and adds that “the overall tone of the album is down-tempo and spacey, a little dark at times but more uplifting in other parts.” Sure enough, it’s been a pleasant ride of crisp beats and even crisper synths, twinkly and pensive, just the way I like my outer space accompaniment these days. It’s a little bit FTL, a little bit PONCHO and I’m really enjoying it so far.

Koenig actually released the soundtrack ahead of the game last November but the final, expanded OST running 90 minutes long across 20 tracks is available now as DLC on Steam or from Bandcamp for $10. Check it out above and definitely take a look at the game in motion while you’re at it.
Game Music

Lost Sphear’s Western Pre-order Bonus includes two special tracks by Composer Tomoki Miyoshi!

June 19, 2017 | Ryan Paquet | 24 Comments Share this

Sqaure Enix and Tokyo RPG Factory recently shared more details on Lost Sphear, the next game from the studio that produced the wonderful I Am Setsuna. Lost Sphear‘s plot is about a young man who witnesses a strange reality altering phenomena who then has to use the power of memory to restore the world. The game will also feature a Chrono Trigger style battle system. You can watch the first trailer for the game below which ends with the message that the “Limited Run Physical Edition with two special tracks by composer Tomoki Miyoshi.

I reached out to Tomoki Miyoshi on twitter earlier this month about whether or not he was returning to score Lost Sphear. On June 1, 2017 he reported back to say that, “Yes, I am very thankful and happy to be working again with Tokyo RPG Factory on their next installment! I felt so moved by the incredible support of people, that I received for my involvement in ‘I Am Setsuna’, and so I made sure to pour even more energy and gratitude into every part of this next soundtrack.” During E3 the game was also previewed here and more details on the game’s soundtrack were revealed. Lost Sphear’s soundtrack will move beyond I Am Setsuna‘s focus on piano to be a more robust orchestral soundtrack. You can listen to these comments in the video below at around 3:20 into the video.

Lost Sphear is expected to be released on Playstation 4 and Steam in early 2018. You can pre-order the game directly from the game’s official website. The site also features some lovely music. Are you excited for Lost Sphear?