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While we’ve been weighing in on ringtones and Kanye v. Fiddy, things have also been furious at Burst Labs where music is concerned. We just released a collection of borderline offensive and evil halloween music (plus some Creative Commons Licensed sound effects for you to use, too).

And we’ll be adding two more highly anticipated volumes to our library of production music very soon :

Degenerate Gamer features the sonic backdrop of our youth, with vintage and retro video game soundtracks, and Naughty + Nice is a compilation of holiday-themed songs arriving just in time for your winter productions - including some ridiculous new arrangements of your favorite public domain Christmas carols, plus some Hanukkah flavor and Auld Lang Syne.

Much more music coming soon to Burst Labs. Be sure to let us know what you want to hear next (drop us a comment below or send us a request via email).

There’s been a lot of Mark Ronson, Aesop Rock, Feist, Kanye West, and Sigur Ros cued up in our iTunes lately. We’re neck deep producing brand new instrumental music and full songs - in genres such as Chill, Quirky, R&B, HipHop, ElectroRock and TripHop.

So stay tuned. Or simply subscribe to our RSS feed to get the latest updates as they happen. [dh]

Ahhh, the sweet smell of burning flesh and boiling potions must mean Halloween is imminent. As music producers accustomed to working on advertising and television production schedules, we hope you’ll forgive the pumpkins and spiders following so quickly on the heels of Labor Day.

The Boogeyman Cometh is the first release in our Burst Labs holiday series.

Very probably NSFW (not safe for work) :

Fair warning - in an attempt to be as genuine and legit as possible, there are some moments in these songs that may or may not be appropriate for your work environment. If your company is okay with an f-bomb storm and sadistic murder references, then turn up the volume and enjoy!

* denotes NSFW : explicit content (and we’re so NOT kidding)

Our first politically-incorrect track from this Halloween compilation brings you moaning evil-doers on a rampage in the form of a school shooting. Featuring the lyric “zombies picking prom queens outta their teeth”, here’s :

Zombies & Prom Queens *

When you need generous helpings of heavy breathing, demonic fear and some Saw-inspired flagellation, Private Mutilation will do the trick (or treat, as the case may be).

Private Mutilation

If you need some instrumental hiphop in cartoon-horror style, we think Smokin’ Mirrors is appropriately Scooby-licious.

Smokin’ Mirrors

For hiphop that has nothing to do with cartoons at all (unless you consider Dahmer or Bundy on par with the Addams Family, or have I-Heart-Marshall-Mathers tattooed on your face), be sure to say your prayers and take some sadistic pleasure in the two most evil and inappropriate pieces of music we have ever been involved with… therapists are standing by.

Homicidal *

The Nightmares *

And for tense and tight grooves hell-bent on death and destruction (which also work well as sports instrumentals when used without their spooky effects), check out :

Wrath Of The Sirens

Skeletal Remains

We promise to balance the universe with our next specimen upload, our ChristmaHanuKwanza holiday compilation… with enough soft guitars, swaddled babies and silent nights to bring our souls back from the brink of eternal damnation. [dh]

“When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I’ve never tried before.” - Mae West

In producing the Halloween-inspired tracks for our production music catalog at Burst Labs, we created a small library of original sound design and sonic effects.

As a companion to our Ode To All Things Evil, The Boogeyman Cometh, we’ve recorded the requisite screams, thumps, chains, and a few dozen gross unmentionables, and have decided to offer them to you completely free as a Creative Commons Licensed download pak (one .zip file, approximately 5.3 MB).

Admit it - air guitar is cool.

Guitar Hero takes it a step further, of course, but we can all relate to growing up wanting to be a rock god, stage fog billowing out from underneath the drum riser (or your old twin bed at Mom and Dad’s), the laser light show dancing over throngs of sweaty, shirtless, adoring fans.

Then, as all dreams do, it ends.

Well, for almost everyone… unless your name is Kip Winger.

You know, from the band Winger.

There are the committed legions of rock romantics who refuse to let the dream die. They have been an inspiration to use these past few weeks as we’ve been locked away in a time capsule with hairspray and reverb, leather pants and whammy bars.

Check out all 11 Rock! and Metal! anthems here!!

Some favorite moments :

• the righteous screaming intro in Evil Shame

• the dynamic wrath of Soul Abuse

• the bombastic live energy of Raucous Rehab (dedicated to a certain band’s recent reunion, otherwise known as Ways To Screw Our Loyal Bass Player or Look Ma I’m Finally Sober And Got New Teeth)

• and we can’t leave out the Power Ballad : This Flame In Me (be sure to enjoy the gooey and heavenly Guitar Solo!)

So bow down at the altar of pyrotechnics and prolific guitars! You now have a license to thrill arena-sized audiences and launch an incendiary attack on unsuspecting clients and creative directors worldwide. Use this power wisely, people. Please… for the sake of the children. Who cries for them? Oh, that’s right… Ronnie James Dio does. [dh]

UPDATE : volume 1 - Aquanet For The Hipster Set - is also available :

UDPATE : volume 2 - RadioActive Mix Tape - is also available :

It’s been a fun few weeks in the studio as we’ve been leg-warmer-deep in hair spray and reverb, putting the finishing touches on the latest collection of music inspired by ‘The Decade Of Greed’ - the 1980s.

If you dug the radio hits of the 80s, chances are you’ll enjoy our RadioActive Mix Tape. There’s automated and macabre synth pop…

Sleeper Hold

• self-important altrock

Arena Trash

Another Piece Of Paradise

• pop, popalicious poppity pop with a rock twist

Distant Memory Thief

Emotionless Pleasure

• dramatic and ostentatious rock

Age Of The Mullet

Nightstick Ache

Tempers Flare

• and full songs featuring whiny - and generally vapid - lyrics

Last Laugh

Secret Lullabies

We’re adding a lot of the 80’s to our production music catalog lately, beginning with Aquanet For The Hipster Set last month, and wrapping up later this month with our tribute to hair extensions, pyrotechnics and guitar solos, Blind Allegiance. And, yes, that means the Power Ballad is on the way. Stay tuned (or subscribed). [dh]

UPDATE : volume 1 - Aquanet For The Hipster Set - is also available :

UDPATE : volume 3 - Blind Allegiance - is also available :

The latest artist to join us at Burst Labs is Mike Mangione, a dynamic and powerful singer with a subdued and moody new record on his hands - Tenebrae.

There will be obvious comparisons to Ray LaMontagne, Jeff Buckley, and even some Damien Rice, but that shouldn’t diminish a genuine and heartfelt collection of songs such as this. Mike has managed to weave a soundscape thick with emotion and allowed his fantastic voice to shine whether he’s whispering in your ear or belting it out in earnest.

“With Tenebrae I wanted to do something different; I wanted to record something that had a life of its own. I am such a huge fan of producer Daniel Lanois. His albums are like audible incense, seeping through the speakers and filling the room with a funk.”

In the past three years he’s logged over 150 shows a year throughout the country, including such notable performances as SXSW in Austin TX, Midwest Music Summit in Indianapolis IN, Chicago’s Mobfest, and Milwaukee’s Summerfest. Through his travels, Mike met with producer Duane Lundy (The Apparitions, The Scourge Of The Sea, The Parlour Boys) and the two quickly developed a relationship.

From his artist bio :

“Duane and I were both looking for the same thing when we met each other; we were both looking to record a live album.” The two began talking about Ray Lamontange, Ryan Adams, Emmylou Harris, U2, and, of course, Daniel Lanois. “We were like two kids in a candy shop throwing out songs and artists that have moved us.” Mike and Duane picked a date to begin recording, and decided to do as much as they could live with very little overdubbing. “I wanted the album to be recorded as a live performance so that it could breathe and bleed together — literally bleed together into the microphones. I didn’t just want an assortment of songs thrown together on a CD, I wanted consistency and tone; I wanted an album.”

A couple of favorite tracks for us :

Killing Floor, a slow-burner with a tense and contemplative tone.

It’s Me Not You, the album’s lightest and catchiest number, a spare and funky acoustic groove.

We’re thrilled to bring you one of our favorite up and coming independent singer-songwriters, Mike Mangione. Grab his CDs at his website or at iTunes; and, of course, all of the songs on Tenebrae are available for select licensing opportunities right here. [dh]

Sometimes a fully produced song or layered piece of instrumental music is just too much for a particular production. Music should come in all shapes and sizes, moods and tones. Maybe you just want a hint of melody, or an extended atmosphere or ambience. Taking inspiration from a previous collection of ours - Just Piano - we’ve added dozens of sparse guitar tracks to the music library at the Lab.

There’s a wide range of tones and emotions available : extended pieces on acoustic guitar custom built for wide open spaces and warm visuals, as well as electric mood setters from jangly rock to emotional blues, jazzy riffs and textural themes.

You can preview the entire collection here.

We’ll also be adding some workparts in the form of bumpers, logos, and stingers in the coming weeks… and if you’re looking for more full songs, rest assured we’re hard at work finishing up the next batch of tunes and we’ll be posting them soon, too! [dh]

As promised in our July email update (subscribe here), we’re releasing the latest collection of 80’s inspired production music at Burst Labs today (11 tracks) :

Aquanet For The Hipster Set.

Does hearing the following music make you yearn for yesteryear? The Cure. New Order. Thompson Twins. a-ha. Peter Gabriel. Joy Division. Erasure. Information Society. Dead Or Alive. Pet Shop Boys. Depeche Mode. Human League. Huey Lewis. Culture Club. Survivor. The Police. Billy Idol. INXS. Flock Of Seagulls. Echo & The Bunnymen. Tears For Fears.

Or how about these movies? St. Elmo’s Fire. The Breakfast Club. Pretty In Pink. Some Kind Of Wonderful. Back To The Future. Beverly Hills Cop. Can’t Buy Me Love. Dirty Dancing. Footloose. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Ghostbusters. Top Gun.

We’ve spent the past few weeks playing all of these and more in the lounge at Burst HQ as lunchtime inspiration, and now there’s a bunch of new production music to share with you.

A few highlights :

• We like the modern twist on things (a la Phoenix?) in First Frost.

• When you need retro-riffic, verbed-out, teen-movie sax magic, check out our ode to all of these and more with Never Be The Same. Might also work for soap opera themes or 90210 reunions.

• And for earnest, vaguely emotional but ultimately pointless euro-pop, dig the lonely Empty Heart, Damaged Parts.

If you want to weigh in on what should be included in our future updates at the Lab, leave a comment (below) and we’ll make it happen. We’d love to create music that you guys really want, but the only way to affect what we deliver is to let us know!

And don’t worry, Heidi… your request (how did we miss that one?!) will have an impact on volume 2, coming later this month. [dh]

UDPATE : volume 2 - RadioActive Mix Tape - is also available :

UDPATE : volume 3 - Blind Allegiance - is also available :

The latest addition to the artist catalog at Burst Labs, we bring you Codebreaker.

We’ve known about Steven and Sage, these two long-time compatriots of electro-funk-disco-house, for a few years now. But when our very own Old Man Malcolm started gigging with them and bugging us to give their new record Exiled! a listen (buy it at iTunes)… well, let’s just say we like Malcolm. A lot. So we listened. And we think you’re gonna dig them, too… especially if you’re licensing songs for a new videogame or hipster ad.

Twentyfourhours says :

Armed with killer basslines, wicked beats, and that sweet warm summer feeling you just can’t get enough of.

even The Washington Post has weighed in :

Unless you’re so cutting edge it hurts, you probably haven’t heard of Codebreaker yet — and we’re stressing the word “yet.” Definitely one to watch: The sound recalls some crazy house party where Cameo is drinking with Prince, Phoenix is partying with Daft Punk and Bootsy Collins is jamming on the sofa. Fritz has already said the band’s “Dream Lover” — is “the best damn dance song” he’s heard in ages, thanks to a rubbery bassline, jumpy guitars and synths that don’t overwhelm the vocals.

They’ve shared the stage with the likes of Hot Chip, VHS Or Beta, Datarock, The Silversun Pickups, Har Mar Superstar, The Electric Six, Soviet, Radio 4, Green Velvet, Shiny Toy Guns, Phoenix, The Fever, Outhud, Stereo Total etc… and are ready for the next step, gaining momentum on both coasts and around the world. To wit, check this sweet remix by Miami Horror that Matt unearthed last week at the tastemakers known as Gorilla Vs. Bear :

So pony up… get those hips moving and those temp tracks droppin’. We know you’ll dig these guys and we’re stoked to be hosting their newest release Exiled! at the Lab for select licensing opportunities. [dh]

If you need to license some Emo and mid-2000s PopRock from the family of teen-angst sugar rock - such as Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, All American Rejects, Panic At The Disco, and their tattooed and moody step-brothers - check out the latest addition to the Lab :
A Farewell Rescue

From their ‘official’ bio :

After spending January with Doug White at Watchmen Studios (Gym Class Heroes, Psyopus, Aka’s, Sleepaway) recording their debut cd release Never Meet Your Heroes, A Farewell Rescue take the stage as the lights go dim at the Capitol Venue. The usual murmur of voices rises to a deafening sea of screams as the five silhouettes of Pennsylvania’s newest hometown heroes come into view.

Since 2005, AFR has been dominating their scene. With over 200 shows in the last 18 months the band has proven themselves, gaining the respect of all those screaming voices as they perform along side the likes of Mae, Yellowcard, June, and Hidden In Plain View.

Now with the new release of Never Meet Your Heroes, A Farewell Rescue is poised to capture hearts everywhere with their own spin on the tried and true, edgy, power pop sound adored by fans of Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and Coheed and Cambria. On Heroes, the band’s musical precision, and unique story telling of front man Joey Heid, sets them apart from the flood of sound-alike bands filling the scene today. Toss in AFR’s relentless, homegrown passion for their fans and you’ve got all the makings of a rock ‘n roll powerhouse.

Here’s a couple of selections we’re featuring on our new Pop/Rock/Alt music licensing sampler, especially appropriate as instrumentals for alienateen-related programming and advertising :

Blades Don’t Need Reloading

Yield Means Move It

AFR’s debut is due out July 24, on Snapdragon Records. There are mentions in Alternative Press coming up this month, along with some promotional muscle and investment by the label… we’ll tell you more as we learn details.

License any song from Never Meet Your Heroes right here in the Lab. And, yes, of course instrumentals are available. [dh]