Ashley Ao Creators Release Experimental App
Well, this is different. It’s becoming ever harder to claim the title “Most Memorably Outlandish iOS App,” but Salamanda and Honey Tribe Studios may have just topped them all with Salamanda EP 1, a freely downloadable cross between music sampler and art exhibition. Its ghostly, semi-interactive visuals and breathy indie pop tracks – justifiably described as “somewhere between Bjork, Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead and Atlas Sound” – make for what could be described as an acid trip simulator. If the name “Salamanda” happens to be familiar, it might be because Ryan Jackson, the man behind the label, is also one of the artists fueling Ashley Ao‘s slick visuals and one of the respondents to our obligatory studio interview. We completely recommend checking this one out if you’re into indie pop music or just plain experimental art, as the tracks have an astounding ability to grow on you with repeat listening. Here’s the press release for SALAMANDA EP 1:
“This app represents a new way to experience music, all of which is written and performed by artist/musician Ryan Jackson. Previously Jackson had been lead singer for rock outfit Endless Hallway and this marks his debut solo release under the name Salamanda.
While listening to the tracks included in Salamanda EP1, players can explore the atmospheric and interactive animations using touch, tilt and swipe controls. The emphasis is on immersive exploration and playing the app will uncover a series of visual surprises.
There are no ads or IAPs. Rather than monetizing the app, the artist and developer have decided to make it completely free, wanting as many people as possible to discover the music of Salamanda.
More info can be found at the Honey Tribe Studios website or on Salamanda’s YouTube channel.”
Bag It! Bags Even More Content, Sale
Now let’s turn to something perfectly normal — you know, like grocery items with faces and personalities. Hidden Variable Studios scored big with Bag It!, which is currently on sale for iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad to celebrate a brand new game mode. “Seedy’s Booty” is an endless mode that features not only competitive coin-grabbing elements, but also 3D visual effects in what was strictly a 2D game at release! Here’s the press release:
“In light of our tremendous success with our Free promo in June (which increased our downloads to more than 5 million) we’ve created yet another mode for Bag It! – SEEDY’s BOOTY! It’s a brand new endless matching mode where players can compete with friends via Facebook and Game Center leaderboards, earning coins to spend on valuable power-ups to help them earn the top spot.
In addition, this new mode brings each of the characters to life in full 3D, with our characters exploding out of the bag with every match! The entire mode is pirate themed – pirate ships, sea monsters, and many more surprises await!”
The Artists Formerly Known as Fakepup Games
Chances are that if you took a chance on Fakepup’s Super Bit Dash, you want to keep an eye on anything these talented and perfectionist developers come up with from now on. We received word that the folks at Fakepup have gone full-time under the studio name Tio Atum, so you’ll want to redirect your Favorites list to their new Tumblr and Twitter addresses. We have it on good authority that Tio Atum is on the verge of announcing a new project, so stay tuned!