Here is the G4F Records selection of April 2022 for video game music releases. Have a good listen!
This is a non-exhaustive list of video game music releases without any classification hierarchy. We invite you to discover new soundtracks that will brighten up your day! 🙂
It’s Easter month! We hope you’ve digested all that chocolate! As for us, we’ve unearthed some soundtracks for you that we think you’ll enjoy. Plug in those speakers, put on your headphones, let’s go!
The Iron Oath, Marvelously Well Orchestrated
Composer: Alex Roe
The Iron Oath is a turn-based tactical RPG developed by Curious Panda Games and published by Humble Games. The game takes place in a medieval fantasy world called Kingdom of Caelum.
The overall aesthetic of the game is quite dark. Think hemoglobin and torn limbs. However, the design is not meant to be extremely realistic since we’re looking at more of pixel art aesthetic.
To create the atmosphere of the game, the British composer, Alex Roe, is in charge of the soundtrack. When we pay attention to the composer’s discography, we notice that he was strongly inspired by the dark fantasy of From Software games. He’s dedicated several of his albums to Bloodborn, the Dark Souls series or just recently, Elden Ring. As you can imagine, there will be orchestra in play!
Iron Oath’s album is marvelously well orchestrated and very pleasant to listen to. We really feel the Medieval/Celtic side of the instrumentation on certain tracks, especially with the song, Terham. While other songs remind us of a confrontation against a Dark Souls boss. The song, Pact your Courage, is a good example of this.
To conclude, Alex Roe has composed a magnificent orchestral soundtrack that works perfectly with The Iron Oath’s universe. Our favorite from this album goes to the song, The Heart of Caelum, for its symphonic beauty and majestic choirs.
Rogue Legacy 2, A Fantastic Musical Epic
Composer: Tettix & A Shell in the Pit
Well, well, well… What do we have here… Nothing but the sequel to the excellent genealogical “rogue-lite”, as they like to say, from Cellar Door Games !
The first Rogue Legacy was rather well received by critics and its soundtrack composed by Tittix and A Shell in the Pit also followed the trend. It was a mostly chiptune/8-bit soundtrack.
For the second Rogue Legacy, we take the same ingredients and start again! No, of course it’s not just that. There are a lot of gameplay improvements but the spirit remains the same, because that’s what was so appreciated.
But we’re going to focus more on the game’s soundtrack. In the first Rogue Legacy, we find the same composers that were behind the music of Rogue Legacy 2. Tettix and A Shell in the Pit, together composed a formidable soundtrack which differs from the first opus.
This time there are a lot less chiptunes/8-bit sounds. We find more guitar, virtual organ and even violins, for our greatest listening pleasure.
A fantastic musical epic awaits us. The melodies are sometimes catchy, sometimes soaring. We dance under the frantic rhythm of certain arpeggiato. The two artists have gone into overdrive for this second opus and it’s an aural treat.
We love the song, Immortal Kings! From the outset, we’re greeted by a solid guitar riff. So of course, it goes well with the game!
Then there’s Immortal Cain too! 😁
Don’t forget to check out Tettix ‘s Bandcamp and A Shell in the Pit! They split the soundtrack of Rogue Legacy 2 in two on their respective accounts with each of their tracks.
Astral Ascent, Japanese Influences from JRPGs
Composer: Dale North
Astral Ascent is the latest from the studio based in Angoulême, France (they’re our neighbours!), Hibernian Workshop. Three years after Dark Devotion, the team is back with a roguelike platformer just delivered in its Early Access version.
The game, already well advanced, will therefore benefit from many updates in the coming year, in order to expand its content and refine its experience. And this will also be the case for the music, composed by the experienced Dale North. We already talked about this artist in a previous article, in August 2021, for the Dreamscaper OST. Although his composition work is still in its infancy, it’s already possible to enjoy the first pieces from the soundtrack.
A well-stocked Early Access release
This first sketch of the game’s future soundtrack features 15 tracks, all of which are already available in this Early Access version. The tone is set from the first notes, the key word seems to be adventure, and Japanese influences from JRPGs are felt. Our first steps in the game are accompanied by lyrical flights of violin, soft and delicate, before inviting the percussion and a richer instrumentation, over the exploration and the battles.
The theme song of the Early Access release trailer, “The Void”, seems to be the real main theme song of the adventure for the moment, combining virtuosity and epicness. However, all of this is subject to change over the course of the game’s updates, until the final release. As Dale North indicates on his social media, orchestral recordings are planned for certain tracks as well as new versions. Dale North and Hibernian Workshop will then offer a truly solid record, which we can’t wait to discover!
While waiting for this future release, the Early Access music is officially available on YouTube. Astral Ascent is available in Early Access on Steam.
Lila’s Sky Ark, Several Musical Currents
Composer: Gerrit Wolf
Lila’s Sky Ark is a 2D action-adventure game. Created in the German studios, Monolith of Minds, and published by Monolith of Minds et édité par Graffiti Games, the game was released on April 21, 2022.
Monolith of Minds are recognizable for their pixel aesthetic which can also be found in their previous game Resolutiion and of which Lila’s Sky Ark is the prequel.
In this new adventure, the player will have to help Lila and her friends defend the The Rainbow Ark against The Conductor and her horde of minions. Their goal is to steal all the magic and music from the island!
The whole plot is set in the Red Code universe imagined by Richi and Günther, the brother duo that Monolith of Minds represents.
Once again for the music, the studio called on Gerrit Wolf, already present on the Resolutiion soundtrack. The artist has further sublimated the soundtrack with quality compositions. Gerrit Wolf’s musical universe is rather varied and he composes orchestral as well as pop or electro.
He therefore has an undeniable experience in musical composition. Plus, he’s already worked on cinema, advertising and, of course, video game projects.
It’s difficult to give a precise genre to Lila’s Sky Ark’s music since Gerrit Wolf knew how to vary his pieces to fit into several musical currents. All we can tell you is that it’s relatively easy to be lulled, musically speaking, by the game’s album even without necessarily playing the game.
We were pleasantly surprised by the track, “Above the Waves, Below the Clouds” featuring DAN.
We close this April 2022 article on video game music releases with Lila’s Sky Ark. See you soon for a new edition! 🙂