#OSThursday soundtrack giveaway series launches

#OSThursday is a new series of surprise giveaways run through our twitter feed, intended to promote independently funded music releases. Keep an eye out for posts every Thursday (and occasionally Tuesday) for a chance to win soundtrack albums from a diverse array of innovative game-inspired artists.

Monument Valley soundtrack excerpts online

The soundtrack to developer Ustwo's impossible architecture puzzle game Monument Valley has been released through iTunes. Composed by Stafford Bawler, Obfusc and Grigori, two-minute samples of all sixteen music tracks from the iOS and Android puzzler are streaming online, via Juno Download.

2 Mello shares GameCenter CX tribute album

Rapper 2 Mello of Lexington, Kentucky has uploaded a hip-hop EP in tribute to Japan's retro game television program GameCenter CX, hosted by Shinya Arino. Featuring vocalist YTCracker on the track "Kacho On," the seven-track GameCenter CX EP is free to download from the musician's website.

The Ongaku's Attention Economy: July selections

The Ongaku's Attention Economy is a new feature highlighting low priced, artistically ambitious recent releases. The debut installment takes a look at three soundtracks, two game cover compilations, a chip music album and an indie game, all temporarily on sale or free to download this month. Total asking price: $1.00 minimum.

IWADON: Hiroyuki Iwatsuki Tribute Album turns four

Today is the birthday of Hiroyuki Iwatsuki, composer of Natsume's Wild Guns, Pocky & Rocky, Ninja Warriors and Omega Five music scores. Game Music 4 All's free-to-download 40-track tribute album "IWADON" turns four today, including arrangements of the composer's music for various game consoles.

Dom Beken of PixelJunk Shooter scores Enigma Express for iPhone and iPad

BAFTA Award-nominated game composer Dom Beken of PixelJunk Shooter has scored the soundtrack to free-to-play detective game The Enigma Express. Developed by Relentless Software for iPhone and iPad devices, eight tracks from the music score are streaming in full on SoundCloud.

Groupees bundles Monaco, Banner Saga albums

Groupees' "Game Music Groupee" bundle will be downloadable for the next seven days for $1 minimum. The music collection includes mp3 and flac files for Austin Wintory's soundtracks to Monaco and The Banner Saga, as well as the Dustforce soundtrack and Scattle's Hotline Miami: The Takedown EP.

Kyoto by Eddie Lee free for Mac and PC

Kyoto, an independently developed, melancholy homage to the Japanese city, is now free to download for Mac and PC through the Funktronic Labs website. Designed by Eddie Lee, whose credits include Q-Games' PixelJunk 4am visualizer for PlayStation 3, the audio-visual serenity app has sound design by Jack Menhorn.

Goto80 on the hidden secrets of Files in Space

Over the past decade the performances of chip musician Goto80 (Anders Carlsson) have spanned such memorable highlights as appearing on children's television in Sweden while covered in salad to singing a deranged cowboy song on stage at Blip Festival Tokyo. In this interview, the musician reveals the secrets hidden within his new album Files in Space, published through the label Data Airlines.

Mushroom Variety Show by Mutherpluckin' B

Rock musician Mutherpluckin' B (Henrik Lidbjörk) of Uppsala, Sweden has released his fourth compilation of game covers for free download. Entitled The Mushroom Variety Show, an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign is currently underway to secure a vinyl release for the rock cover album, featuring music from Rokko Chan and ilomilo.

Name your price for the Double Dragon Neon score

The 45-track soundtrack to Wayforward's Double Dragon Neon by Virt (Jake Kaufman) is available for download in your file format of choice for "name your price" through Bandcamp. Today only, the PlayStation 3 downloadable title is on sale for $1 as part of the PlayStation Store's weekend flash sale.

The Cave soundtrack by Brian Min on Bandcamp

The 34-track soundtrack to puzzle platformer The Cave composed by Brian Min, Studio Audio Director at Double Fine, is streaming in full on the developer's official Bandcamp page. Today only, the PlayStation 3 downloadable title is on sale for $1 as part of the PlayStation Store's weekend flash sale.

GaMBi a portable chip music remix module

GaMBi by David Ventura is a chiptune remix module for smartphones that allows personal customization of over sixty licensed chip music compositions. Supported audio file formats include NES (NSF), Super Famicom (SPC), PC Engine (HES), Atari (SAP) and Game Boy (GBS).

Groupees launches Chiptune + Charity 5 bundle

Groupees has launched "Chiptune + Charity 5", ready for download for a minimum $1 donation, benefiting the International Society for Children with Cancer. The bundle includes mp3 and flac files for Files in Space by Goto80, Lost Tapes 1 and New Beginnings by Zabutom, 3P by Chipocrite and numerous other lo-fi compositions.

Name your price for dozens of shared albums

The "shared" section of The Ongaku contains working links to hundreds of soundtracks and game-inspired albums that content owners have made available for “name your price” or free download. This news item highlights some popular favorites from over the past several years