Marc Soucy has been steeped in the sound of music all his life. Born and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts, he started playing piano at an early age and performed in his first bands in his early teens. Over decades of musical experience, Soucy has worn many hats: keyboardist, producer, and studio musician—continuously refining his sound and skills.
With his latest STIR series installment, “The Tong,” renowned producer and keyboardist Marc Soucy delves deeper into his sonic explorations. On “The Tong,” Soucy compels his sound into even more daring territory through strategic uses of contrast and dynamic shifts. The track submerges one in a snazzy atmosphere that feels fictional and out of this world.
The piece opens by enveloping the listener in effervescent pads and arpeggiated synth sequences as they shimmer in the higher registers. Soucy vessels have prismatic textures that energize the atmosphere while maintaining an ethereal ambiance. It’s a sweeping build as the tempo begins to rise, with layering in of propulsive percussion and risers to further increase the pulse. Then, the downbeat drops, and along comes a busy tech-house groove, full of stuttering hi-hats and rhythmic offsets. Marc shows impeccable production savvy through sleek mixing and meticulous sound design.
The composition takes on a cinematic feeling, with Marc masterfully blending orchestral and electronic elements. Ancestral female vocals float sublimely above the rhythm section, offering transcendental guidance through the song. Halfway through the piece, Soucy stops the action, pulling all the elements out except for subtle pads; the momentary silence lets the anticipation build.
Soucy mentions contrasting hues as the key to “The Tong’s” aesthetic—from tension to release, horror to serenity. Eastern string motifs surface hauntingly, building up to a grandiose finale that feels like ascending into another plane altogether. It anchors its dramatics in a 1991 gang shooting in Boston’s Chinatown, adding sobriety to the intensity of the journey.
Marc has opened up avenues for me musically that I didn’t think were possible. Being an individual who has always been fascinated by the intersection of orchestral music and electronic production, Marc’s STIR series is right up my alley. His willingness to create grooves that suck in the listener while layering in these cinematic textures gives way to an endlessly rewarding listen. I am in absolute awe of Marc’s vision and versatility; every time I hear his songs, it’s like stepping into another dimension.
If his sound intrigues you even half as much as it does me, you need to stream “The Tong” now. The level of artistry and musicianship on display is unlike anything else out there.