PlayStation 4

Demoscene, Experimental, Game Music

Grab some free Soundtracks from the PlayStation Store

December 28, 2017 | Shawn Sackenheim | Comments Off on Grab some free Soundtracks from the PlayStation Store Share this

While keeping an eye out for PlayStation Store deals over the holidays, I decided on a whim to search for “soundtrack” and sort by “price: low to high”. Surprisingly, I turned up a handful of free albums that anyone can grab right now as long as you’ve got a PlayStation 3 or 4.

From 2012 is the 18-track soundtrack from Datura, Sony’s trippy PlayStation 3 experiment that came out of the Polish demoscene. From 2013 there’s the massive (and massively chill) soundtrack from Knytt Underground on PlayStation 3. To celebrate the launch of inFAMOUS Second Son in 2014, Sucker Punch released the game’s 29-track soundtrack from Marc Canham (Far Cry 2), Nathan Johnson (Looper, Brick) and Brain (Tom Waits, Primus) as a free app on PlayStation 4. And most recently in 2016, 505 Games released the 7-track soundtrack to Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf from Francesco Libralon and Lorenzo Scagnolari on PlayStation 4.

The search page also makes for a handy reminder for anyone who pre-ordered Bloodborne or The Order: 1886 as they both came with free soundtracks that you can still download. Ndreams’ The Assembly also has a free 13-track album waiting for anyone who purchased the PlayStation VR game since its release in 2016.
Game Music

Oure Soundtrack out first on PlayStation Store

November 9, 2017 | Shawn Sackenheim | Comments Off on Oure Soundtrack out first on PlayStation Store Share this

You’d be forgiven if the name Oure sounds familiar but you can’t quite place why or from where. It was announced and released during Sony’s Paris Games Week show alongside a huge array of flashy PlayStation VR and PlayStation 4 titles. Little Oure, the stylish, skyborn adventure in the vein of Journey, was easy to overlook. The game debuted on PlayStation 4 but it’ll also be out on Steam on November 14th. That makes this week the perfect middle ground to release the soundtrack.

The score was composed by Ian Livingstone (Warhammer, Total War) and performed by the Sofia Symphony Orchestra along with renowned cellist, Tina Guo. Naturally, the sound relies heavily on strings to capture the flighty, somber feel of the game’s solitary setting and shape-shifting protagonist. You can get a taste of the music through this pair of YouTube clips posted by Ian Livingstone in advance of the album release.

Like the game, the soundtrack is making its debut first on PlayStation where the 10-track album is priced at $5.49. It’s promised to hit “all digital platforms” in the coming weeks and months though so keep an eye on Amazon, Google Play, and iTunes if you’d rather pick it up there.

Let us know what you think of the music samples from Oure or the game itself in the comments below.
Game Music

The WipeOut Omega Collection Soundtrack has been revealed!

May 26, 2017 | Ryan Paquet | 1 Comment Share this

On May 24, 2017, Sony finally revealed the new soundtrack for the Wipeout Omega Collection via their Soundtrack Reveal Live Stream. If you missed the streaming event you can watch it in its entirety above. The video features all of the tracks played live intercut with attendees of the reveal and shots from the game. The tracklisting was published by Sony Playstation Europe here. The details of the new tracklist are below:

ADDIKTION – Shake It (WipEout Omega Instrumental Edit)
Airwolf – Talking Bass feat. Stace Cadet (Taiki Nulight Edit)
Black Sun Empire & State of Mind – Kill That Noise (WipEout Omega Edit)
Boys Noize – XTC (The Chemical Brothers Remix)
Brodinski feat Louisahhh – Let The Beat Control Your Body
Carbon Community vs. Burufunk – Community Funk (Deadmau5 remix)
David Tort & Danielle Simeone – You Got To (WipEout Omega Edit)
DC Breaks – Breathe (Instrumental VIP Mix)
CODE:MANTA – DFCK
Dillon Francis & NGHTMRE – Need You (DJ Hanzel & Drezo Remix)
DJ Kentaro feat. Matrix & Futurebound – North South East West (Tha New Team Remix)
Emika – Double Edge (GeRM Remix)
James Talk – Remote (Deadmau5 Remix)
Jerome Isma-Ae & Paul Thomas – Tomorrow (Luke Chable Remix)
Krakota – Lust Thrust
Matrix & Futurebound – Glow Worm
Matt Anthony – Headlights
Memtrix – IC YR PAIN
Metrik – Bring It Like That
Movement Machina & Timo Vaittinen – Upsides Have Downsides (WipEout Omega Edit)
Noisia & The Upbeats – Dead Limit
Red One – Born Free
Soundprank – Obsidian
Swanky Tunes – Give It
Swedish House Mafia vs Knife Party – Antidote (Swedish House Mafia Dub)
The Chemical Bros – C-h-e-m-i-c-a-l
The Prodigy – Invaders Must Die
Warden – Get Down

You can listen to the WipEout Omega Collection soundtrack on Spotify here.

The Wipeout Omega Collection will be available on PS4 on June 7, 2017. Is this a game you’re looking forward to?
Game Music, Japanese

PaRappa the Rapper OST sees Digital Release this Week

April 8, 2017 | Shawn Sackenheim | Comments Off on PaRappa the Rapper OST sees Digital Release this Week Share this

Despite my pessimistic expectations last week, Sony has seen fit to bring the original PaRappa the Rapper OST out of Japan and direct to the PlayStation Store. Released this week alongside the remastered edition of the game is the same 44-track album that will be reprinted on CD in Japan next month.

In the same vein as recent soundtrack releases the PaRappa OST comes in the form of a music app for PlayStation 4. There’s the standard playback controls, a no-frills slideshow and the ability to export the songs to a USB device in MP3 format. If you’ve been holding onto dubious and scuzzy MP3s from the late 90’s this is a great way to update your collection while showing support for the classic franchise.

Unfortunately, the soundtrack isn’t bundled with the game this time around. The PaRappa the Rapper OST is $11.99 while PaRappa the Rapper Remastered is priced at $14.99 on the U.S. PlayStation Store.
Game Music, Japanese

1996 PaRappa the Rapper OST Getting a Reprint in May

March 30, 2017 | Shawn Sackenheim | Comments Off on 1996 PaRappa the Rapper OST Getting a Reprint in May Share this

First announced back at PlayStation Experience in December, PaRappa the Rapper Remastered on PlayStation 4 is now nearly upon us. For a change, the HD treatment is kind of a big deal here. Due to the differences between the CRT televisions of the 90’s and our modern digital screens this landmark rhythm game hasn’t been easy to pick up and play in years. Sharper visuals, enhanced audio with new alternate tracks, and display modes to make the game more approachable are all in store when it launches in the U.S. on April 4th.

For the game’s Japanese release Sony is bringing one more part of the original PaRappa experience back to life: the music. The game’s 44-track album, originally released in December of 1996, is being reprinted by TEAM Entertainment in its entirety. To be sold on disc for around $20, the album will go on sale May 24th, about a month after the remastered game’s release in Japan.

I’m not holding out much hope but there is a possibility we may see the album released as one of Sony’s music apps on the PlayStation 4 outside of Japan. Right now the only bonus we’ve got is a pre-order discount for PlayStation Plus members and a boring static theme. There is a demo you can play right now though, so if this post stirred up your PaRappa nostalgia you can get a quick hit for free right here.
Chip Music, Game Music

Chime Sharp comes to Consoles next week

February 16, 2017 | Shawn Sackenheim | Comments Off on Chime Sharp comes to Consoles next week Share this Chime Sharp comes to Consoles next week

Chime Sharp, the follow-up to the 2010 music puzzler, launched on Steam last July. Though they didn’t reach their original Kickstarter stretch goal for console ports the team has just announced that the game will finally be coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One next week; on the 21st and 24th, respectively. Chipzel is just one of the EDM and chiptune artists whose music is featured in the game.

“My track, ‘Psychonaut’, was created with [the Chime] gameplay style in mind, said Chipzel. “Through entwining multiple layers, which progressively build to compliment the final arrangement, I wanted to portray the intention of rewarding the player as they advance, through the use of evocative melodies and euphoric transitions.”

Did you check out Chime Sharp on Steam or are you planning on picking it up next week on consoles? Let us know in the comments.
Experimental, Game Music, Japanese, Reviews

The Last Guardian ‘Mini Soundtrack’ App (Review)

December 7, 2016 | Shawn Sackenheim | 1 Comment Share this

With The Last Guardian (actually, really, finally) shipping this week I was able to redeem one of the Amazon pre-order bonuses ahead of time, a 4-song Mini Soundtrack. It serves as a preview of both the game’s orchestral score by composer Takeshi Furukawa and the ‘Last Guardian Composer’s Choice PS4 Music App’ that Sony announced in early November. Let’s take a look at the app and the music inside.

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