There’s a lot to love about Freeform’s newest TV series Motherland: Fort Salem, a show set in an alternative universe where witches escaped persecution during the Salem witch trials by agreeing to fight in the United States army. In the present-day, young witches are conscripted into service and trained to protect the country, and world, from an independent terrorist cell of witches known as the Spree. The show follows three of those new recruits, Abigail Bellweather, Tally Craven, and Raelle Collar.
Among its many standout elements, including flipped gender roles, clever world-building, beautiful cinematography, and LGBTQ representation, Motherland: Fort Salem’s use of sound is also particularly noteworthy. Its score, soundtrack, and sound effects all combine to enhance the rich and complex world it’s created for itself. But besides the audible delight cooked up by the show’s music and sound departments (more on that later), the character’s voices are what matter the most.
The Power of Female Voices
In the world of Motherland: Fort Salem, their power is literally derived from their voices. A witch’s magic is produced via vocalizations, called seeds. Some are audible, others occur outside of the normal range of hearing, but when created they can be extremely powerful forms of attack, or counter-attacks if you were to find yourself on the wrong end of one.
While the metaphor of weaponizing women’s voices isn’t exactly subtle, it’s still super effective, and extremely empowering to see on TV. Even in 2020, Motherland: Fort Salem is a bit of a rarity. There literally isn’t one dude in the main cast. Women are front and center, there’s a female president and witches young and old make up all ranks within their faction of the military. They aren’t sidelined, and they certainly aren’t silenced. They are brave and fierce warriors, who come from a long line of equally strong women.
Although badassery does appear to run through their bloodlines, their strength doesn’t just get passed down from mother to daughter. A core part of boot camp is vocal training. There, older officers teach new recruits how to embrace and harness their voices and power, both individually and collectively as a unit. Basic training is literally all about helping young women reach their fullest potential.
In the Motherland: Fort Salem universe, the culture at large places a high value on women and their contributions to society by not only supporting future generations of witches and enabling them to lead, but also by understanding what can be accomplished when they are heard. It’s a welcomed message that’s well executed on the show.
Also worth noting, the series value’s women’s voices behind the camera too. At least half of the first season’s episodes were directed by women.
And Now Back to the Music
In a world where there’s witchcraft, terrorist attacks, training montages, blooming friendships, full blown romances, and century old traditions unique to this made up universe, the score and soundtrack have some heavy lifting to do.
It’s not that I believe its viewers need any kind of hand-holding, but Motherland: Fort Salem changes tones at the drop of a hat, and some well placed musical cues certainly don’t hurt. It’s also especially useful in these initial episodes as the show is still very much in its world building phase.
The soundtrack is quite successful too, offering up an excellent combination of catchy earworms and moody songs to make you feel all the feels. Tunes from artists like MILCK, Son Lux, Ruelle, Mrch, Big Fox, UNSECRET, and Lydia Ainsworth all make appearances. I highly recommend you listen to the Motherland: Fort Salem Official Playlist on Spotify and then dig deeper into each of the artists’ discography because it’s all so good.
However, the score is distinctly unique to Motherland: Fort Salem, and it’s brilliant! Veteran film and television composer, Brandon Roberts has created some really beautiful themes that elevate the sweet and tender moments, the more tense and menacing scenes, and everything in between. And it’s no wonder, his credits include Battlestar Galactica, Pushing Daisies, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Revolution, True Grit, Warm Bodies, World War Z, The Shallows, Logan, Free Solo, and both A Quiet Place films.
All said and done, Motherland: Fort Salem has cultivated a definitive sound profile that’s narratively enriching and empowering. Have a listen and give the show a watch.
The show has been renewed for a second season, in the meantime you can rewatch or catch up on Season 1 on Hulu.
