BIZNOOZ

Tag: #Soundtrack

  • The Sound of the City: How Macroblank and Erik Rempen are Redefining Urban Cosiness in ShantyTown

    The Sound of the City: How Macroblank and Erik Rempen are Redefining Urban Cosiness in ShantyTown

    The city builder genre is usually about optimisation, traffic flow, and avoiding total economic collapse. But Erik Rempen, the solo developer behind the upcoming indie gem ShantyTown, is trading spreadsheets for vibes.

    Set to release on April 16, 2026, ShantyTown is less about being a mayor and more about being a curator of chaos. And to make sure your urban dioramas feel as lived-in as they look, Rempen has enlisted the legendary vaporwave/barber beats artist Macroblank to craft the ultimate atmospheric backdrop.

    Erik Rempen: From Kainga to the Urban Diorama

    Rempen, working under his Silk Softworks banner, has already proven he has a knack for “weird and wonderful” with his previous strategy hit, Kainga. With ShantyTown, he’s narrowing the scope but deepening the soul.

    • The Concept: You aren’t building a sprawling metropolis. You’re building vertical, dense, and “messy” urban spaces.
    • The Philosophy: There are no “fail states.” The goal is to find beauty in the clutter—stacking shops, tucking rooftop gardens into corners, and letting the city grow organically.
    • The Hook: It’s a digital diorama. Once you’ve perfected your block, you photograph it for your in-game dossier, capturing a moment in time of a city that feels like it has a hundred years of history.

    Enter Macroblank: The Sultan of Smooth

    For many, the name Macroblank evokes images of rainy nights, neon lights, and the “plundered” nostalgia of the barber beats subgenre. Bringing a heavy-hitter from the vaporwave scene into a city builder is a stroke of genius.

    “Each song was designed specifically for each map… instruments were chosen based on that map’s history, design theory, and local region.” — ShantyTown Devlog

    This isn’t just a static loop of elevator music. Rempen utilised FMOD to create a dynamic audio experience. As the sun sets and the neon signs in your shantytown begin to flicker to life, the music shifts with the lighting, deepening the immersion. Macroblank’s signature sample-heavy, moody textures are the perfect DNA for a game that celebrates the “imperfect” aesthetic of a crowded city.

    Why ShantyTown Matters

    In an industry often obsessed with “more”—more pixels, more mechanics, more stress—ShantyTown is an invitation to do less. It’s a collaborative project between a developer who understands the geometry of cities and a musician who understands the feeling of them.

    Quick Look: ShantyTown Specs

    FeatureDetail
    DeveloperErik Rempen (Silk Softworks)
    PublisherKinephantom Games
    Release DateApril 16, 2026
    GenreCozy / City-Builder / Sandbox
    PlatformPC (Steam)

    Whether you’re a fan of high-density urbanism or just looking for a way to decompress after a long day, ShantyTown is shaping up to be the most atmospheric indie release of the spring.

    Keep your eyes on the Steam store—this is one neighbourhood you’ll actually want to get lost in.

    Find out more here – https://s.team/a/2434600

    #Macroblank #ErikRempen #urbancitybuilder #ShantyTown #music #soundtrack #games #gaming #gamers

  • A Splash of New Sound: Chicory: A Musical Tale Remix Album Out Now

    A Splash of New Sound: Chicory: A Musical Tale Remix Album Out Now

    The world of Picnic Province just got a lot more vibrant. Following the massive success of the 2021 indie hit Chicory: A Colorful Tale, game music community Resonant Union has teamed up with award-winning composer Lena Raine (Celeste, Minecraft) to release a massive new arrangement album: Chicory: A Musical Tale.

    Released on March 7, 2026, this four-disc collection is more than just a remix project—it’s a two-and-a-half-hour seasonal journey that revisits the emotional heart of the game through fresh ears.

    A Journey Through the Seasons

    Produced by Philip Saguil, the album is structured around the changing seasons of Picnic Province. Each of the 32 brand-new arrangements was crafted with a specific time of year in mind, inviting listeners to “paint the world with sound” all over again.

    “After pitching the project to Lena a year ago, we started to explore Picnic Province after the events of the game,” says producer Philip Saguil. “I asked each arranger to write as if creating a tone painting with sound.”

    The project features a staggering lineup of guest talent, including:

    bermei.inazawa (Lies of P, DJMAX)

    Kohta Takahashi (Ridge Racer, Tekken)

    Emi Evans (NieR, Dark Souls)

    What’s Inside the Box (and the Digital Stream)?

    The album spans a massive variety of genres, reflecting the eclectic nature of the original score. From the “cyber mix” of Spoons Island to the sweeping “Self-Portrait Symphony” of More Than Myself, there is something for every mood.

    Why This Matters for BizNooz Readers

    For the business-minded in the gaming and music industries, this release highlights the growing power of community-led arrangement albums and the enduring “long tail” of indie game IPs. By collaborating directly with the original composer and developer (Wishes Unlimited), Resonant Union has turned a fan-driven concept into a professional, commercial-grade product that keeps the Chicory brand relevant five years after its initial launch.

    Where to Listen

    Chicory: A Musical Tale is available now for $20.00 USD on Bandcamp and other major digital platforms. If you missed the pre-order window, don’t worry—the full experience is ready for your ears today.

    Whether you’re a fan of Lena Raine’s atmospheric synth-work or just looking for a cosy, emotional soundtrack to get you through the work week, this album is a masterclass in how to honour a game’s legacy.

    Find out more here – https://resonantunion.bandcamp.com/album/chicory-a-musical-tale

    #ResonantUnion #LenaRaine #ChicoryAMusicalTale #musical #soundtrack #games #gaming #gamers #platformgames #gameplay #demogames #videogames #arcadegames

  • Ghost Trick The Phantom Detective

    If you fancy yourself as a detective then you have come to the right place with the new Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective game available now for Nintendo Switch. The game has been created by Shu Takumi who just happens to be the creator of the Ace Attorney series, so this is a game with a brilliant pedigree indeed.

    More than that there is a great soundtrack to this game by Yasumasa Kitagawa who not only is a popular composer he also created the music for The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, this means that gamers will have the choice of the original or the remastered soundtrack.

    Find out more on the Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective game here; https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/ghost-trick-phantom-detective-switch/

    #NintendoSwitch #GhostTrickPhantomDetective #GhostTrick #PhantomDetective #AceAttorney #Soundtrack