Looking for New Music? Try a Video Game

April 4, 2007 — -- Odds are the name Tom Holkenborg doesn't ring a bell. Nor his house DJ name, Junkie XL. But a quick listen to some of his music and you'll have no trouble recognizing this Netherlands native.

A 21st century renaissance man, Holkenborg, who splits his time between remixing, composing, producing and performing music, is best known for his 2002 remix of Elvis Presley's hit "A Little Less Conversation" for the movie "Ocean's 11."

Holkenborg's unique blend of electronica with a vintage twist is now cropping up everywhere -- on TV, in movie theaters, on the radio, and now, thanks to a recent partnership with Electronic Arts and Nettwerk Music, in video games.

"If we look at the older games like Mario Brothers and Pac Man, they needed to make a tune that was generated by that simple little computer, so automatically that became an electronic music piece," said Holkenborg in an interview with ABC News. "Nowadays a lot of electronic music producers like to make music for games because they can reach their fans."

Over the past decade, video game music has evolved from homegrown electronic beeps and robotic swirls used in classic games like Mario Bros and Pac Man to actual music created by up-and-coming or even well-known bands and singers licensed out from leading record labels, such as Def Jam and Interscope Records.

Holkenborg's new deal takes things a step further -- he's teaming with a new label which will sign and develop artists specifically for digital distribution, putting them on iTunes and other Web-based music stores.

"The most exciting part of the label, Artwerk, is that it's a joint venture between the biggest videogame producer, EA Games, and Nettwerk, the record company," said Holkenborg. "At the end of the day, it's a normal record deal as it is with any other record company."