It heightens tension, quickens pulses, and pulls at heartstrings. Take away the two-note dread of Jaws, remove Psycho’s screeching violin, or silence the cacophonous crescendo of sound at every twisty turn in Lost and these iconic stories lose a lot of their impact. In film and television, music taps into our psyche to stir up emotions the storytellers want us to feel.
White Lies is no exception. With its cast of complex characters and a plot that keeps on plotting, the music deepens our connection to the characters and pushes us to the edge of our seats with its nerve-snapping tension – courtesy of Charl-Johan Lingenfelder and Edward George King, the men behind the music of White Lies.
Lingenfelder studied Musicology and Drama and has worked on more than 300 local and international theatre productions, as well as focusing on sound and music in film and television. This includes collaborations with Christiaan Olwagen, one of the directors of White Lies. King received classical training in piano, studied film and film scoring after school, then jumped straight into the industry. With a massive appreciation for orchestral music, film music became the perfect choice as it combined two of his greatest passions. Needless to say, we snapped up an opportunity to interview these two talented musos about their work, White Lies, and their next projects.
Who are your favourite composers, especially when it comes to film and television?
Charl: I don't have any firm favourites, but am often mesmerised by how certain composer/director combinations can create absolute cinematic magic. Like the combination of David Fincher with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on projects like Gone Girl and The Social Network or the combo of Jonathan Glazer and Mica Levi on Under the Skin. But going back, also the work of Bernard Hermann with Hitchcock, and John Williams and Spielberg. A never-ending list.
Edward: I can’t say that I have a favourite film composer. I mainly listen to soundtracks and my favouritism shifts on the daily. Like Charl mentioned, the relationship between composer and director is a special bond. Some of my favourite scores have been those that come from directors and composers that walk a long journey together, like David Fincher with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Ridley Scott with Hans Zimmer, and most recently Christopher Nolan with Ludwig Göransson. As much as I love orchestral scores, synth soundtracks have grown on me in the last few years and the hybrid between electronic music and orchestral is magnificent.
What else inspires your work, specifically something non-musical?
Charl: I've always been a very curious person. I'm constantly packing away my musical tools and dabbling in other creative fields like writing and designing. And when I start writing again, it is inevitable that whatever I have been doing will have an impact on what I write. I'm currently rediscovering a lot of classical art – just admiring the skill and time that it took to create these incredible, layered works. Something that often seems to be absent in contemporary creative fields.
Edward: I have a great appreciation for art and sculpting. I think it’s due to the time and effort that goes into perfecting a craft like painting to create scenes that will forever be captured under a brush. That inspires me. All art is a skill of storytelling, which is something I always strive for with composition. Every detail enhances the core of the story the artist wishes to tell.
When working on a score, do you work with the script? What do you look for in the script?
Charl: I absolutely work with the script in the beginning. It's about figuring out the temperament or feel of the project. I always work with a palette – I like limiting myself and finding a sound that speaks to the truth of the story and characters. Ed and I are constantly questioning our work in the light of whether it is serving the story 100%. And that process starts with the script. For example, when initially reading White Lies, I was struck by the honest portrayal of Cape Town and its people. No single character is only one thing. Their circumstances and surroundings deeply affect who they are and their actions. And that is interesting for us as composers. So in all our themes there is this constant pull in opposite directions – notes and chords that don't resolve, or resolve unexpectedly.
Edward: Like Charl mentioned, our job is to serve the picture and story. Reading the script is often a great insight into the little details of a location or character, which sparks a lot of musical ideas from the get-go. But more than often, seeing the footage can lead you in a completely different direction in terms of orchestration and mood. Charl and I set out a month before we received our first cut to create a library of themes and movements from our initial feeling we got from the story. Most of the musical ideas stayed and are held in the series.
What do you ask the director or writer? What were some of the questions you asked for White Lies?
Charl and Edward: John Trengove was very clear in what his vision was for the series. He called it a "complicated love letter to Cape Town”. We had a long conversation about what he didn't want. I think it's important to take a director's taste into account.
Which character or scene did you enjoy scoring the most?
Charl: There is a massive scene in Episode 7 where all hell breaks loose everywhere. Structuring the scene was absolutely thrilling and Ed got to show off his incredible orchestration skills. It still makes me happy watching it. And even though it didn't make it onto the soundtrack, the music for the memorial in Episode 4 remains a firm favourite.
Edward: I must say, the main theme ‘Dark Hearts’ was one of my favourite pieces of music. Charl and I composed a basic idea that we then wrote for a string quartet. From the first note our string players played, we knew that this was perfect for the series. It embodies the tone of the story and the complexity of the characters, especially Edie. My favourite scene that we scored is in episode 8. The composition is called ‘Edie’s Decision’. It’s a very emotional piece of music and captures the emotional disarray that Edie finds herself in during that scene.
What are the origins of the tracks ‘Darkest Heart’, ‘Master Jack’, and ‘Fall Away’. Were they written for the show? How did you choose the vocalists?
Charl: From the outset, we knew we didn't want traditional "theme music" to start and end each episode. So we had the idea of ending each episode differently. And that is where the idea of ‘Darkest Heart’ started. Ed had done some work with Bex before and knew that she would bring the right feel to the song.
'Master Jack' was a last-minute replacement for another song that was used in the original edit, and we knew Orah would be perfect. She has this incredible vibrato that added just the right amount of vulnerability to the opening of the show. We wanted to write more songs, but there was so much music needed for the series, that we didn't have time to create more songs.
‘Fall Away’ was written specifically for Episode 4 which was directed by Christiaan. He loves cutting sequences to songs and made us promise him we would write a song specifically for this sequence. I used Cloud Witness for the vocals. I had done work with him on Beurtkrag and Runs in the Family, and we were really chuffed with how it turned out.
Edward: When Charl and I had our first draft for ‘Darkerst Heart’, Bex immediately popped into my head. She has an incredibly luring voice which was perfect for the song. I have also done a few songs with Orah. Charl and I felt that her voice would capture the right tone that was needed to lure the audience in.
How we approached 'Master Jack' was also a complete contrast to what played out in the opening scene of episode 1. We were trying to sell a peaceful suburb in Cape Town with 'Master Jack' and when the gruesome murder played out, the song created such a great contrast between the horror of murder in the beauty of a peaceful and safe suburb.
It was my first time working with Cloud Witness for 'Fall Away'. He is truly a powerhouse of a vocalist and did such a great job with the song.
What were the decisions behind the songs and kind of music Robert listens to?
Charl and Edward: We knew we wanted to use ‘Main Ou's’ by AKA and YoungstaCPT and managed to secure the rights to that song. From there it was a matter of finding other songs that matched the musical and lyrical intensity.
You can only listen to one soundtrack for the rest of your life. What do you choose?
Charl: For pure sentimental reasons and because the film holds a special place in my heart, I'd have to choose Ennio Morricone's soundtrack for Cinema Paradiso. That is what music does: it can serve as a direct link to a happy memory of a time or place. Few other things have the power to make the past so visceral.
Edward: I have to say Hans Zimmer and Stephen Schwartz’s soundtrack for The Prince of Egypt. It’s one of the first soundtracks that I was obsessed with. It’s a masterclass in orchestration and theme-writing. The songs are also absolutely captivating.
What are you working on next?
Charl: I'm currently musical director of Mamma Mia! which is running at the Teatro in Johannesburg. In the meantime Ed and I are wrapping up a score for a documentary on the Reclaim the City movement in Cape Town. And then I'm very privileged to be sound designer and composer for a play opening in London in June. And in October I'll be attending a Shakespeare festival in Hungary with a South African production of Hamlet.
Edward: As soon as Charl and I finished up the music for the Thabo Bester documentary series, we jumped onto the soundtrack for Mother City, a documentary about the Reclaim the City movement. After that, I am composing for a film called Kwiksilwers which will premiere at Silwerskermfees later this year.
Part 1 of the White Lies soundtrack is available on all streaming services. Add it to your digital music library here.
Watch White Lies on Thursdays at 20:00 on M-Net channel 101. Catch up on previous episodes on DStv Stream here. Join the conversation on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok using #WhiteLiesSA.