We’ve been bringing you some exclusive interviews with composers of TV shows lately and today we are pleased to bring you a chat we had with Emmy-nominated music supervisor Trygge Toven whose latest project is Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy’s critically acclaimed Amazon Prime series, Fallout based on the fan-favourite video game series.
Toven carefully selected memorable songs from artists like Nat King Cole, Johnny Cash, and Ella Fitzgerald to create a darkly humorous and gritty mood for the retrofuturistic series. Through clever use of contrast, Toven recontextualized the 1940s and 1950s-era songs in an ironic way within Fallout’s post-apocalyptic setting. By giving fresh resonance to decades-old music, the show’s storytelling is elevated to greater heights.
Known for his exceptional work with Marvel Studios, Toven has crafted the soundtracks of a wide range of high-profile films and series, including Knives Out, HBO’s Westworld, and Marvel’s Loki, Moon Knight, and Secret Invasion. In addition to supervision, Toven served as a music producer for The Marvels and David O. Russell’s Amsterdam. Toven’s diverse background as both a music producer and recording engineer play an integral role in his approach; his time crafting music behind the scenes has put him in a unique position of understanding talent from a creator’s point of view.
For Fallout, Toven is up for Emmy consideration for Outstanding Music Supervision.
Can you tell our readers a little something about yourself?
I’m from Tacoma, WA and am of Norwegian descent. I grew up playing piano and trumpet.
Who are some of your musical influences?
I grew up with a wide variety of music around but love electronic and classical music. Some of my favorites are Calvin Harris, Zedd, Fred again, Sebastien Tellier, Beethoven, Michael Jackson, and Rachmaninoff.
You’ve certainly got a great catalogue of soundtracks that you have worked on, how does the style for the music used in Fallout differ from other productions?
This was the first time I was able to dive deep on 40s and 50s music. There’s so much music from this era and I especially enjoyed showcasing the irony through music.
What has been your most memorable moment working on the Fallout soundtrack?
It was incredible to have such an impact on Lucy’s character arc, we were able to show her growth in a subtle way through the music. Starting with a post war ideology and slowly tearing off the bandaid to a more gritty reality.
Did you find yourself heading to the video games to help with the music for the feel for the TV show?
We definitely used the video game music as a starting place and made sure to find the right spots for some of the iconic songs from the game. The music was a big part of the tone of the games and therefore an important part of creating the show.
What do you have lined up next?
Funny enough, I have another video game adaptation, Borderlands starring Cate Blanchett and Kevin Hart coming to theaters in August.
Thank you to Trygge Toven for the interview, Fallout is available to watch now on Amazon Prime Video.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
