IN THE STUDIO
After decades in the music industry, Ryan Leyva AKA Johnny Nails exudes a joy and enthusiasm for music that can fan even the smallest creative spark into a flame. The Seattle-based Guitar Slayer shares how he continues to grow through community and collaboration and so much more.
Fluid rhymes, big hooks, bigger beats, and the occasional left turn. Bangers & Dance, the soundtrack of a night with (potentially) questionable decisions and undeniable action.
Underline the Tone with an UNDERscore specific look at albums built for accenting the feel of production with clear, minimalist themes.
When is it not the season to start thinking about holiday campaigns? ‘Tis the season, every season. And our Organic Spark label has three records that hit hosts of angelic notes for modern holiday placements across film, television, and advertising.
While the drama of Reality TV can be larger-than-life, it is the music that dictates the levels of suspense, quirkiness, heartbreak, and triumph. That’s why our Modus Operandi Production Music label has been a home for albums specifically designed for reality television, cooking competitions, and challenges to earn contestants big prizes and deliver audiences big entertainment.
International Business has flavor and sound that cannot be replicated through email. These album from Three Ingredients Or Less focus on traveling for work, utilizing anthems from around the world, the dramatic sounds of an ever-shifting global marketplace, and formal dinner music for diplomatic relations.
Blues music is at its best when the raw, dusty, dirty, beautiful, soulful songs are presented as is. Always recorded with era-specific equipment and techniques, our Analog Champion label is the ideal home for many of our favorite Bottles of Blues.
Curation is the act of searching, sorting, and selecting from a larger body of work. An art unto itself, the direction of a cohesive collection is determined by whoever is telling the story. This story has been curated by composer and songwriter Will Bush.
A Picture Puncture specific look at our bespoke workparts, unique sound design elements, and textures that contribute to a standout score.
Coloring outside the lines of conventional genre labels to create songs that stand out in a crowded space. If you’re looking for something with a truly singular sound, these Distinct Indie Darlings stretch the possibilities.
Composer, actor, puppeteer, and overall creative polymath Andrea Giordani crafts scores that utilize a story-driven approach. In this interview, we chat with Andrea about the influence of acting on her music, her thoughts on storytelling, and the process of composing for different mediums.
Southern Specific Sparks give the listener a taste of that distinctive instrumentation and signature attitude, instantly transporting them to Appalachia and dusty country roads.
A gallery of albums from our Modus Operandi Production Music label with retro themes that place a listener back in time for era-specific dramas, archival throwbacks, or comedic placements.
With a thirst for knowledge and appetite for unique sounds, New York artist Kory Burrell is building a body of work that utilizes his sonic awareness to create nuanced and impactful music. In this interview, Burrell shares how he discovers new sounds and how that adds to his own well of experience and much more.
Straight from our HypeKit label lineup, these sub-genres of pop deliver with punched up and ultra promo-friendly characters from across the airwaves.
“Experimenting with electronics and other instruments…” is a minimalist creative framework that describes so much of how Thomas Wincek creates. Whether that be through his celebrated band All Tiny Creatures or his synth-centric production music, this exploration of Wincek’s work is a case-study in intentional experimentation.
It can be difficult to define the magic that makes up the sonic vibrations of music. But as we discovered in this interview, artist Amanda Huff has no problem describing her relationship with music through evocative, enthralling visual language. Huff’s responses are second only to the music itself, setting the scene beautifully for a journey that is as dynamic as her voice.
Utilizing a variety of genres that feed a hungry mentality for determined dreamers, we’ve assembled a squad of music that mirrors overcoming obstacles and the emotional growth found in Underdog Stories.
We’ve patched together a few albums that feature the many Shades of Synthesizers including retro, modern, and the truly unique.
A closer look at some of more unique, esoteric stylings we’ve created to help give a sound to the high-minded advertising boardroom speak within Dancing About Architecture.
Utilizing Three Ingredients or Less to look at impactful music that features acoustic, simple, minimal instrumentation. Award winning flavors with Acoustic Root Ingredients that only need a little S&P.
Sean Wolcott’s creative output is inspiring. Taking a walk through his musical projects, we unlock an undeniable creative spirit where passion, curiosity, and imagination lead the way.
How do you achieve that balance, taking that utility of production music and infusing it with humanity and emotion? We chat with Alec Shaw and Daniel Holter about their collaborations and how to enhance the emotional value of a track.
Widely celebrated in concert halls around the world, Classical Music is just as present in our everyday lives at weddings, graduation ceremonies, and of course a variety of commercial applications. But why?
Our friends at Universal Production Music UK have analyzed their data for the latest in production music trends and predictions. We’ve assembled a few records from our labels that just so happen to fit those trends and keywords.
After 13 years, Dope Folks Records has put together a ‘Best of’ vinyl from their incredible vault of rare and unreleased Hip Hop. We took the opportunity to catch up with co-owner Chris Schulist and talk about the label, this special release, and how they find these hidden gems.
Siddharth Nadkarni is a composer that works in both production music and video game music, using his knowledge and skills to create impactful music for moments big and small. We sat down with Siddharth and talked about his aim to capture moments, composing for our HypeKit label, and his goals.
TLL founder and creative director Daniel Holter is still hard at work behind the mighty mixing desk, but now he’s also getting in front of the camera on his YouTube channel, beginning with a quick demo of Josh Gudwin’s new plugin called Magic Flow.
Meet Ehren Ebbage. He’s an award-winning songwriter, producer, and composer who continuously seeks new opportunities that push himself while leaving room for unbridled creativity and discovery that feed the spirit of whatever he’s working on. In this conversation, we talk with Ebbage about his work with Lizzy McAlpine, Olive Klug, and his work in production music.
The best podcasts are often built on great conversations. And the best conversations we know are built on the universal language of music. With that in mind, we’re thrilled to introduce you to… WordLess — an experiential music podcast from The License Lab.
NEW MUSIC
A full-blooded grunge album of angsty, aggressive, and sometimes strange rock that strives to follow in the footsteps of Seattle's flannel-clad luminaries.
A celebration of the drive and determination that has been happening in women’s sports for a long time, led by silky smooth and flowing female vocals from Zahara Williams.
An adventurous soundtrack full of twists and turns, adventure and intrigue, scored by Asian instrumentation including taisho koto, hulusi flute, guzheng, and khim.
Bridging electro pop and funky flavors, Pop Chart creates a bold, dreamy sound that leaves the listener feeling satisfied and hopeful.
For the Paris 2024 Olympics, we’ve assembled two distinct playlists for different chapters of an athlete’s dream, a team’s ambition, or a nation’s hopes.
Mental or physical, big or small, every journey is a story unto itself and the atmospheric, cerebral sounds of Underway reflect the choices that keep us on the path.
There’s nothing to hide in Bedroom Pop (E&E-039) as dreamy, tender indie-inspired tracks balance pop synths and warbly guitars with charming vocal hooks.
Bringing the extravagance and animated jazz, ragtime stylings together with modern electro element for a remix that hits nostalgic notes while landing firmly in the twenty first century.
Evoking hope and friendship through rising acoustic pop arrangements, Under My Wing nurtures an undertone of reflection and encourages growth.
A corporate pop soundtrack for those who believe in trailblazers, challenging the status quo while growing an eco-conscious business.
Backpack Beats builds off hip-hop beats from genres like trap, old skool, and trip hop to create a colorful collage of mysterious, mellow, dramatic, and dreamy scenes.
Fueled by fantasy and imagination, the sounds of organ, vibraphone, bongos, alto flutes, and ethereal non-lyrical vocals summon a mysterious sound that transports listeners to those distant fictional vacations.
Featuring singular vocal hooks, simple lyrics communicate not-so-simple thoughts and feelings over a lush pop atmosphere.
Enter a playground of strange concoctions that fuel nightmares with percussive tension and terror sound design and effects.
Powered by hypnotizing basslines, sweaty drums, and brazen guitars, Psych Rock was authentically created using era-specific techniques to channel the freedom of a flower child.
Featuring songwriter Ryan Necci, A Life Worth Livin' has the soul of classic country, packaged up in a tidy EP that touches the romance and heartache of anyone who has dared to love.
We’ve pulled some of our favorite tracks by writers and performers who are bearded and prefer a melancholy cabin life to the hustle of urbanity. Lots of flannel, plaid, weathered leather boots within.
A score for the televised struggle to survive with a mix of sound design, pulsing electronic elements, and nylon stringed guitar, ramping up the thrill of the adventure with waves of tension.
Rustic & Dusty fuses elements of Alt Country with traditional folk, playing in both the shadows and the light.
Our take on evergreen drum set rhythms, featuring everything from stadium-filling behemoth beats to punch line rim shots.
Head off to a tantalizing, futuristic world that draws in unsuspecting listeners into a dynamic web of mystery as producer Kory Burrell brings textural synths and curious sounds to a darker side of alternative pop.
The vintage orchestral scores of Midcentury Newsreel form a soundtrack to match the hope and hustle of a bygone era.
This second collaboration between producer HOLTERGEIST and singer-songwriter Amanda Huff continues where the duo left off, exploring uncharted waters beyond the borders of Carbon Copy (LMTL-042).
Inspired by some of the hallmarks of the USWNT as they gear up for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Rise Up Down Under features energetic hip-hop, inspiration strings, driving riff rock, genre mash-ups, and more.
An EP that is so much more than two voices and an acoustic guitar, these love songs mirror the romantic charm and introspective comfort that comes with a rainy day.
We’ve explored the radiant territory known as Under the Sun before. We’ll revisit each of the previous volumes of this series, but first we’d like to introduce you to the newest member of the sunshine squad.
Ain’t It A Cryin’ Shame is the modern country equivalent of the Unflinching Walk, witnessing an ex crash and burn. But in this version, our narrator allows a little smirk of satisfaction to creep in, reveling for just a minute in karmic justice.
For birthday parties of every shape and size, we have assembled twenty unique versions of what so many of us call “The Birthday Song” that range from creepy robots to classroom singalong.
From the same pen that wrote the Win Some Lose Some (LMTL-037) and Dancing With The Devil (LMTL-036) comes an empowering modern country single that looks back at a relationship gone bad, but then celebrates her reliable squad that will be there no matter what.
Enter a dreamlike world with a dark and ominous sonic landscape from producer HOLTERGEIST with captivating vocals from singer-songwriter Amanda Huff, an ideal track to a serve as the psychological primer to a character driven narrative.
STORIES
Two new Sean Wolcott album featuring vintage flavors that showcase his acute attention to detail and talent for storytelling through instrumental soundtracks.
The newest EP from the Dark Knights of Synth delivers a mix of soundtrack textures and refreshing, dynamic dark pop tracks that conjure a cinematic experience full of desire and heartache.
Guitar textures enhanced with post-processing weave an enchanting, yet uncomfortable tapestry of sound full of tension and emotion.
Whether a comedy is a short film, a series with 22-minute episodes, or a trailer, the music can have a massive impact on the heart and humor of a short-form comedy.
A candid country EP that’s easy to love, Julian Anderson’s songs feature a brilliant band, nothing-to-hide lyrics, and an affable twang that invites listeners to pour themselves a drink… even on a Tuesday.
Through equal parts experimentation, manipulation, and a classical approach, Ebony Ivory Recipe only features the piano. But it may not always sound like that.
Dig into an album with a kaleidoscope of textures and melodic, edgy bass riffs at the forefront.
Bravo’s Top Chef has brought their competition to culinary hotspots including Los Angeles, New York City, Charleston, and London. For Season 21, they set up shop in our home for over a decade: Wisconsin.
When we see the same basic formula over and over, it all becomes easy to forget. But there are a few stand out Super Bowl commercials that viewers may remember. Plus haikus.
Placing authenticity and the emotional value above all else, we’re diving into one of the most endearing and heart-on-your-sleeve recordings in our catalog, Untangle Me.
Celebrating thoughtfulness and curation by highlighting the work of Song Exploder’s Hrishikesh Hirway and his interview with the podcast The Art of Curation.
Minimal piano-based atmospheres and haunting arrangements of traditional Christmas carols encourage quiet moments of reflection while touching heartwarming, nostalgic memories.
It’s not enough to simply tell someone who you are or what you stand for. Actions speak louder than words. And a nearly 40 minute video dissecting the details of a production music track just scratches the surface.
Knowing what’s new is exciting, but what about the thrill of discovery? If you’re familiar with the venerated history of library and production music, you know that there are countless treasure chests full of hidden gems still waiting to be discovered.
Bound By Sound is a podcast that features interviews with industry professionals working at the intersection of music and film. The conversations are, in their own words, “casual, inspiring and a little geeky.” If you’re anything like us, that’s a combination that will always pique your curiosity.
The most extraordinary sports moments will live forever in the memories of those lucky enough to witness them live. But for the rest of us, we go to the highlights.
One sub-genre of jazz that brings an undeniable energy that makes any environment feel alive. Latin Jazz (ACPM-007) delivers that energy with live performances in the studio and sits the listener square in a dimly lit booth of a smoky mid-century club.
Geek Beats combines all the energy of a Mountain Dew-fueled campaign and the full-fledged badassery that you feel when you play. In short, it’s one hell of a ride.
Live in the KEXP studios complete with a full band and choir, rising Seattle talent Alec Shaw brings his soulful vocals into a lush, raw indie pop playground.
More sincere than goofy, more heartwarming than slapstick, the whimsical instrumentation found on Sunshine Kidz walks the line between Wes Anderson and SpongeBob.
Some people become divided, some people become united. Now music supervisors unite as they make the push to unionize.
Far away from shredding solos or fragile fingerpicking, Under The Bridge is an unexpected soundtrack that explores another side of what an electric guitar can do.
What makes someone stop scrolling to audition a track? While the reality is that taste is subjective and everyone has their own venn diagrams of reasons, track descriptions regularly show up as a primary reason editors and music supervisors push the ‘Play’ button.
The entire License Lab team is quite literally all over the map with composers in cities like Nashville, New York, Portland, and our internal team in California, Washington, and Wisconsin. In that spirit we wanted to highlight a few Milwaukee artists who have spread their wings and are making waves on a national scale.
Live at The Opera House is an intimate record that feels less like you’re in a gorgeous auditorium and more like this collaboration of top talent from Milwaukee’s robust jazz and hip-hop scenes are playing live in your living room.
With millions and millions of dollars spent on Super Bowl commercials and weeks of build up and teasers, it’s no wonder folks are analyzing these ads in an academic fashion. But no matter the tone of a spot, shouldn’t all music used be an integral part of the storytelling?
Richly textured and soft-spoken, the modern country sound of Philippe Bronchtein’s Catch My Breath explores the shadows while comforting the soul.
We’re all familiar with the concept of “quiet time.” While this may conjure up images of a toddler being told to go to their room for a time-out, our friends in film and television production know it as something else entirely. There is a process called “capturing room tone” and it is one of the most essential tools in an edit.
Breaking the mold in more ways than one, the dynamic duo of The Equilibrium Anthology and The Equilibrium Remixes provides unexpected and plentiful options for big time action.
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