Two weeks ago when we first got this month’s edition of the 2.0’s Day Music Dump together, it wasn’t looking totally scant but it was thinner than we wanted. In our minds, the sweet spot is sort of an even spread between big (AAA), medium (AA), and indie developed titles. We had most of what we needed, but preferred to go with just a little more, so we decided to wait another week.
Within days of this decision, the challenge went from figuring out how to make more out of less to figuring out how to filter a mountain’s worth of material down to a single article. We also ran into our usual nemesis – organization. On occasion, compiling this version of the dump is so much more convoluted than it has to be – searching for tags like #videogame, #ost, #videogamemusic, etc. ALL yield different results on Bandcamp, and not always a lot of them.
Once we get exhausted with the tags, we’ll try looking at things chronologically via Metacritic… which often cripples us immediately when we see hundreds, even thousands of releases listed for a single month due to the rating site’s comprehensive scope. This results in a fair amount of bottlenecking in conjunction with the fact that sometimes the release of a game and it’s OST aren’t scheduled in tandem.
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Some would say this became more of a known issue in the last few years thanks to the controversy surrounding Mick Gordon’s Doom: Eternal soundtrack, where the second anyone heard it, they had to have it but couldn’t find it, a problem that persists to this day. That situation’s is a can of worms in itself that we’ve talked about before, but one solution to the pressures of releasing it all at once, as in the case of SAROS, is singles.
Singles are of course something we’re pretty used to, and thus far, we love what we’ve heard. However, the secret to making singles work is timing – while there’s currently two tracks for the game available on streaming services, the full game is out April 30th, so wouldn’t it be obvious the full OST comes out the same day? Turns out, no, not at all. There’s most likely an entirely different mix involved, plus new mastering. We’re starting to understand that just like our favorite RPG’s, there’s not just multiple solutions, there’s aspects to the problem we haven’t even begun to consider. Imagine that.
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Another game making waves right now is Replaced, which also has a banger soundtrack. When searching for the OST at first glance you might think “damn, it’s only on mainstream streaming services and all my homies hate mainstream streaming services.” Here’s the thing – it’s actually available as a separate purchase at the same marketplaces one would buy the game like Steam and GOG. You’ll probably even see an option that lets you buy the game and soundtrack at the same time. Just not on Bandcamp, the service most casual music fans use. Are we greedy to want it all in one place? Are we just impatient? We hate to admit, it’s starting to seem that way.
There’s clearly a lot of great stuff going out, it’s just not always easy to find. That being said, the 2020’s have seen composers and publishers alike try new things to fill in the gap, like Capcom’s insane new sci-fi thriller Pragmata. If you haven’t heard, the OST is stellar. Oddly enough, it represents elements of everything we’ve talked about thus far – you can’t find it on Bandcamp (or you couldn’t at the time of writing this article) but you CAN go to YouTube and stream Alter Echo‘s Sketchbook version of the soundtrack.
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It literally feels crazy to think of ‘sketchbook’ versions as the same thing as ‘demo’ versions considering the game’s music incredible, expansive, and well produced. Really, we should just be happy it’s there and available. It actually helps iterate some hope: things can change. People try new things, and we’d be remiss not to acknowledge that when we can.
For instance, we noticed yesterday that an incredible piece on Aphelion‘s music and audio direction came out on Xbox Wire (check it out here), and seeing that kind of deep-dive on a severely overlooked part of gaming was a breath of fresh air, especially with that kind of backing. Combined with developer DON’T NOD’s YouTube preview below, you can really get a picture of the sonic elements and why they matter to the game, lending a genuine sense of excitement and heart that pushed us from ‘interested in the game’ to ‘need to budget for this game.’ We have a feeling others are going to feel the same.
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Overall, the journey continues for everyone. Even smaller studios are trying things like distributing to vinyl and cassette or putting out dedicated music videos to theme songs, like “The Ultimate Weapon” from ChainStaff. You can find the rest of the OST on Steam, but the video is certainly worth a watch. The soundtrack is also perfectly marketed as “almost two hours of pure heavy metal mayhem,” and while definitely true, we could see execs on AAA boards having heart attacks if they were to see the same tagline on their own product.
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So yeah, it’s a little scary to consider that uniform infrastructure doesn’t exist for soundtrack releases the way we thought it would, but maybe that’s actually a good thing? Either way, we’re excited to bring you whatever we can, however we can find it. It’s high time we get to the rest of the dump, but if you’ve made it this far and somehow you haven’t, be sure to check out our interview with the videogame composing legend Alexander Brandon here.
Enjoy!
Various Artists – Tides of Tomorrow
Considering this is a game where your unfolding story is based on the actions of other players, we just want to say straight away that it’s one of the most interesting concepts we’ve ever heard of in the MMORPG space. It’s also far beyond diverse when it comes to the OST – making music for such an unpredictable project seems impossible, but somehow Lou Corroyer and the expansive cast accompanying him almost make it look easy. From industrial rock and ambient electro to synth-scapes and high-fantasy score, there’s a whopping 42 tracks here, so get ready for a saga.
Various Artists – Screamer
Even for a high-speed racing game with flashy anime bits, the soundtrack for this thing slaps unimaginably hard, and there’s some truly unique production elements happening if you listen close enough. The way Hex Archive, Torba, Electric Dragon, mifeumei, VGR, and combine genres is insane: there’s electro, hard-step, IDM, and modern metal, all grounded within a great score. Overall, the OST grabs listeners from the very beginning and doesn’t let go until the ride is over, and what a ride it is.
Kati Falk-Flores, Jaimee Jimin Park – Ground Zero
You know, it might not sound like a compliment at first, but we absolutely mean it as one – this is one of the most subtle soundtracks we’ve ever heard for videogame. Several tracks are really just oppressive hallways noise and reverb, but every once in a while the composers break into something jangly and disturbing. If you put it on, just don’t forget you did, because those moments will pop out and get you, making it the perfect soundtrack for a game that feels classic OG Playstation horror.
Nicolas Garcia – Cthulhu: Cosmic Abyss
This beautifully dark and Dunwich soundtrack score is superbly executed thanks to performances by Tina Guo and Budapest Scoring. Much like the legend and the author that spawned it, one of the soundtrack’s greatest strengths is being able to wring every once of emotion and meaning from every iteration. Our favorite part of the music is actually the percussion, which seems to carefully contribute to plot progression, almost functioning like a second narrator.
Patryk Scelina – MOUSE: P.I. For Hire
While this impeccably jazz and big band flavored soundtrack will obviously appeal to old-heads even if they’ve never played a videogame, we think Patryk Scelina’s OST will resonate with the prog freaks among our readers too. Particularly the theatrical ones – whether you’re into Mars Volta and Perfect to We Used to Cut the Grass and Fat Randy, trust us on this one. You’re gonna love it.
Jesper Kyd – Samson
Jesper Kyd’s inescapably stylish soundtrack for this gritty 90’s adventure is an intense journey that honestly kind of carries itself with pure, period-correct confidence. For us, the best part is the production, which makes all kinds of nods to alternative, lounge, acid house, and trip-hop while telling its own story. We’re excited to hear it as intended in-game, but even without it, we have a feeling the OST has a solid chance at developing cult status.
Ryan Lott, Ian Chang & Brendan Angelides – Marathon
As we caught ourselves slowly bobbing our heads to the hypnotic poly-meter of “Stars that Bleed,” we couldn’t help but feel a little emotional. This game and everyone involved with it has been through so much, so to finally see Bungie’s surreal shooter find footing is great to see, and it’s even better to hear thanks to a modular, plasmatic OST.
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VOLA default, Sonic Maybem – METAL EDEN
Fans of the modern Doom games and fast-paced cyberpunk like Ghostrunner will absolute adore this futuristic shooter, and one thing that’s kind of undeniable about those games is a big part of their oomph was the music. METAL EDEN is similar – the visual style and action stands on its own, but the soundtrack pulses, vibrates, and dissolves with the best of them. The game came out a few months ago, but we’re genuinely excited to finally see an official release because the OST holds its own against an increasingly crowded arena of cyberpunk must-plays.
Anamanaguchi – Scott Pilgrim EX
Who would have thought we were going to witness a second act to the match made in heaven that is Anamanaguchi and the Scott Pilgrim franchise? Well, probably fans of the series who had been anxiously awaiting the sequel to Nintendo’s first arcade brawling classic – now that they’re finally out we could see both of game and the OST getting a lot of play this summer. For what it’s worth, this one’s a little more diverse and has some more chill moments that remind us of River Boy, so overall, highly recommended.
Fellow Traveller – Titanium Court
Truly an oddball in every sense of the word, Titanium Court’s semi non-linear gameplay loop is fascinating new people on a daily basis. Honestly, it’s one of those games with a retro style just past our threshold for comfortability: extreme pixelation, chopped frame rate, sullen neon blues and pinks… there’s just something too uncanny about it for us. The soundtrack is unique as well, which sort of sounds like an early 80’s alternative rock tape left out in the rain, and it sort of feels like a work of art in itself. It deteriorates and deconstructs itself constantly, but it’s the perfectly detached sonic compliment to Titanium Court’s inexplicable appeal. Also, let’s honor what is apparently it’s official name as a soundtrack – you feel like you could use a long shower.
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Big Giant Circles – People of Note
Games where songs and musicians themselves are at the forefront need to do a lot of heavy lifting, from honoring tradition and upholding expectations while somehow trying new things and pushing the envelope at the same time. Jimmy Hinson’s radical, all-encompassing score somehow manages to spin all these plates and more with a highly polished narrative experience that’s sure to get extra credit with music nerds and performers.
Wilbert Roget, II – Pacific Drive: Whispers in the Woods
If you were just going by the music, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Pacific Drive was way more about hauntings and religious orders than it actually was, but then again Pacific Drive’s expansion carves enough new narrative territory, so really who can say… we haven’t completed it yet, so not us, but we absolutely cannot wait, as the OST sounds even scarier than before.
No Bloom Now – Industria II
Though the game and it’s OST just got pushed back, we’re really excited to get back into Bleak Mill’s Lynch-ian exploration of dystopian parallel dimension. The original can feel so magically lonely that musical sequences feel like imaginary friends you’ve conjured to stay sane. While before that was in line with the game’s clear Half Life inspirations, everything we’ve seen about the sequel looks bigger and better, including it’s spectral, spine-tingling music, so we are fully invested once it’s out and hopefully get a chance to talk about it more.
Darren Korb – Hades II
It was kind of a no-brainer that the second Hades game would have an excellent soundtrack rivaling that of the first, but surely that presented some kind of challenge to Supergiant Games and Darren Korb? Actually, it doesn’t really seem like it. In fact, most of it seems even more developed – ideas come and go with various embellishments and extensions to them that lend legitimate purpose, matching the game’s unwavering maximalism.
Gareth Wiecko – Gunboat God
Well hold on a second – you’re a gator on a boat in a side-scrolling bullet hell? And there’s an upgrade system? Jesus, and the soundtrack slaps? Sign us up. For most readers, this one will be an easy sell, whether it’s the game or the soundtrack. But while we’re here we just want to say the composer went absolutely hamburgers on this thing. It’s absolutely lush and emotive with a level of depth that feels comically absurd for the situation described above, but then again, maybe it’s just right.
Dan Golding – Mars First Logistics (Expanded Edition)
This space-y synth extravaganza has a lot of personality to it, often mixing in dissonant grit or ambient meditations between groovy, propulsive beats. They’re not all in your face either, there’s a lot of cool texture (even a couple time signature changes!) to be found throughout and some sprawl out, or rather focus themselves into prog-y alternative moments.
Charles Landry – Battle of the Blands
Literally the first word that comes to mind here is ‘cute.’ But there’s a lot more going on here than that, with classic JRPG chiptune sounds routinely warped and panned to feel a bit like ye olde Pokemon themes on psychedelics. They’re antsy, to the point, and overall really fun, so if you’re looking for something old-school in presentation but still ready to party, this one’s a great start.
Marie Krine – Donny Donut: Circle of Seasons
This bizarre food-based RPG has throwback sound, but not to things like chiptune or 8-bit – it’s more to that special original Playstation era. There’s hints of Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior melodically and we can’t help but love that, yet overall it’s something about the OST’s uncanny sound palette that has us transfixed. Highly recommended if you’re looking for something cozy, but epic.
Jacob J. Ritz and Kyle Riley – Brekkie Bros
This one really defies expectations at every corner – it’s a butt-troidvania with a soundtrack that almost reminds us of Faith No More, but in tracker / MIDI format, even when it threatens to break out into sudsy, mosh-friendly hardcore. The retro Nintendo aesthetic might not please everyone, but honestly we think Gen X hardcore kids that got into videogames later are going to flip when they hear / play this.
Alex Roe – Grime II
Composer Alex Roe really knows how to get his hands dirty with discordant, unstable melodies, and people who’ve played Elden Ring and it’s Shadow of Erdtree expansion already know this. More than a knack for dissonance, it seems to be an ear for playing tricks on listeners’ expectations. While the first time you make your way through the soundtrack you’ll be constantly surprised, repeat listens start to feel impart a strangely home-y feeling, if also a haunted one.
goonroom – The String
This atonal trip mixes industrial beats, discordant structures, and palpable sadness to create something wild out of pocket compared to the innocent looking cover art. That being said we looked up some alpha footage of the game and it’s a dreary lo-fi shooter with insanely immersive sound design, so it checks out. Just be ready for a mood on this one.
zoobs – Lilith’s Wave Shooter (Vol. I and II)
Also in lo-fi indies with unexpectedly hi-fi soundtracks, the OST for Lilith’s Wave Shooter came out recently and it’s stupid thick with atmosphere somewhere between J DIlla and downtempo DnB. The game itself gets a little jank by design, but when you blast the soundtrack with it, it kind of creates a synergy that can’t be denied. Overall, whatever’s going on here, we like it.
Filippo Vicarelli – Vampire Survivors (Vol. II)
Yes, this game’s a few years old, but apparently Volume II of the soundtrack is finally out, and honestly the second half of this thing is pretty sweet. It mixes gothic class and Castlevania-style melodies with a more modern, guitar dazzled aesthetic that almost feels slightly cheesy, but actually meshes perfectly with the game’s over-the-top isometric shooter setting.
Prime Pentad – Liberty Brick
This charmingly tongue-in-cheek retro blast is mostly just cute and to the point in the way you’d expect from old JRPG’s, but there are a couple weird surprises lying in wait that feel worth pointing out. In particular, those insane arpeggios in “Cluster’s Last Strand” that do something inexplicable to our brain like the beginning of those astral travel tapes from Bob Monroe.
DFS – The Grid
This nasty French dungeon crawler has a thuggishly guitar-heavy OST, and honestly it’s probably one of the most wild things on this list. The mix of heavy guitar with acid synth and house beats has been experimented with before, but it always comes down to attitude and delivery, and this OST has both in excess.
Marko Popovic – Shredoka: Magical Girl Skateboarding
Speaking of OST’s with guitar rips, this radically diverse soundtrack for one of the games made for Metroidvania Month 31 X Magical Girl Jam 13 is pretty astounding. There’s way more than shredding guitar here though, the ambient parts are really transportive. Considering the alleged amount of time spent in development, there’s way more depth here than there’s any right to be.
T05 – Smash It Wild
A rogue-like deck building experience revolving around a bunch of animals playing volleyball? And it’s called Smash It Wild? You know, we’re confused, but we’re not un-intrigued. Sonofabitch, we’re in, and what helps is this fairly shred-heavy soundtrack with tons of groovy, heavy prog overtones.
Romain Herbert – Warm Monkey
Somewhere between field recording and ambient horror you will find the positively bizarre but frankly genius “soundtrack” for Warm Monkey. There’s some great musical moments, but there’s even better… aural moments? It’s really hard to describe – there’s tape manipulation, samples, drones, things falling apart… it’s like actual sonic death. It’s great.
(Thanks for reading! If you’re looking for more music, check out our Bandcamp compilations here. If you like us, or possibly even love us, donations are always appreciated at the Buy Me A Coffee page here, but if you’re in a generous mood you can also donate to folks like Doctors Without Borders, the PCRF, Charity Water, Kindness Ranch, One Tail at A Time, Canopy Cat Rescue, or Best Friends Animal Sanctuary that could probably use it more – click on their names above to check ‘em out if you’re so inclined. Thanks again!)