BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
He’s known as The Cartoon Composer — and in 2022 he scored one of the truest-to-genre shows to land on Netflix. Inspired by the energy of big band and jazz, Ego Plum crafted the music to The Cuphead Show, an animated series based on the hit video game Cuphead.
In this interview, he tells CutCommon how he did it.
The Cuphead Show is a throwback to mid-century animation with the hyper energy of a ’90s kids show. And it’s made in the 21st Century! How did you approach the music to align with this anachronistic show?
The music and songs are all in the service of storytelling. I believe that takes priority above ‘authenticity’. I had no problem diverting from the musical tropes and traditions of the 1930s if it didn’t serve the story. Many of those 1930s cartoons that we pay homage to were gag-based, and used songs throughout entire episodes, whereas I needed to provide a more dynamic form of scoring that could hit many emotional beats throughout an episode.
I was able to find different ways to stay true to that era of music, however. For one, I tried to use similar instrumentation to those old Fleischer or Disney cartoons: lots of brass, woodwinds, piano, upright bass, and on occasion some special guest instruments like the musical saw, banjo, nylon guitar, or organ.
Secondly, I think there is something to be said about writing simple melodies that are reminiscent of the popular American music of the ’20s and ’30s. I aspire to the beauty and perfection of Shave and a Haircut or Three Blind Mice more so than the complex big band jazz of that era. Having a strong melody-based score was another way to achieve authenticity.
When there are so many wacky visuals and fast-paced action sequences, where do you find your cues? That is, almost everything looks like a cue! How do you know when and where the music needs to fit?
Great question! I sit alongside the director and we make tons of creative decisions as we watch the episode. It’s about selling the story and making sure audiences respond to what we need them to respond to.
The music does the same thing a magician does with sleight of hand; it guides your eyes and emotions to the places they need to go. If Mugman is scared he might lose something, it’s my job to help propel that emotion with my music.
There are dozens and dozens of beats to hit in an episode, so music tends to be frenetic and fast-moving from one idea to the next. I feel very much at home in that environment. It probably serves my short attention span.
How would you describe the function of music in bringing to life a good cartoon? And how do you compete with the very many sound effects along the way?
The sound effects and music are all serving the same purpose. It’s probably not a good idea to see your music as competing with anything. It really is serving the same purpose as the colours, animation, voices, and everything else: we are telling simple, engaging stories, and entertaining audiences.
Contrary to my name, I have to have very little ‘ego’ as a composer to create good work. I am not completely selfless though, I love hearing the music up front and center whenever possible — especially if it’s a cue or song I’m particularly proud of!
Your score is melodramatic and extreme, alongside the characters and their actions. Is the secret of a cartoon soundtrack simply to go all out — action over subtlety? And how do you write such stimulating music in short bursts that come and go with the action, rather than extend for minutes with the type of longer scene you’d find in other productions?
Quite the contrary, a lot of times scoring is about restraint. Sometimes it’s about not having any music at all! That being said, there are many times when you need to go all out, especially on something like The Cuphead Show!
To your second question, it is a challenge to write music that ends after a few seconds. I compare it to asking someone to bake a single cookie, as opposed to a dozen: it takes the same amount of work and preparation!
One of the things I proposed to Netflix was for the opportunity to actually ‘finish’ the short songs in the series. For example, in our pilot, we wrote this great tune for the Devil that gets interrupted by another character after about a minute of singing. I took it upon myself to complete that song, and our current soundtrack release actually included the full three-minute version of the song! So this was one way to scratch that itch.
How did you continue — or stray from — the Cuphead game score from Kristofer Maddigan?
Kris Maddigan is a wonderful composer who did an exceptional job on the score to the Cuphead game, and I knew I had a high bar to live up to. But it was also very important to me to create something original that could stand on its own alongside the Studio MDHR game.
I basically went to drink from the same well of inspiration that Kris did, and then added my own twist to create a distinction between our worlds. However, I couldn’t resist referencing Mr. Maddigan’s music on a few occasions; his music was too good to pass up, and I knew the fans would appreciate it.
What do you feel audiences expect from a franchise like this, when they may play the game then watch the show? Do you try to cater to the audiences’ expectations and focus on consistency, and further expanding the world for them?
It’s dangerous to try to create something with the idea of living up to the expectations of an entire fan base. It’s impossible! If I made creative decisions based on what the fans are going to think, I would never get anything done.
Ultimately, I have to trust my instincts and do what I feel is right for these stories. A big part of being a composer is trusting your gut, and trusting split second decisions again and again. Every note is a choice, and you cannot second guess them — especially when you have to write 11 minutes of music in a week!
What was the most fun moment you had during The Cuphead Show?
The most fun was watching real musicians and singers perform the music I had written for the show! Helping vocal direct Wayne Brady, Natasia Demetriou, or Luke Millington-Drake and hearing my notes come out of their mouths was the ultimate thrill.
I also liked the open bar at our wrap party. That was fun; maybe a little too fun.
The Songs of the Cuphead Show are available on all major streaming services.
Image supplied. Credit Alien Club.
