The talented Marc Soucy‘s consistency has been unrivalled over the last few months, and we have been intently covering his recent releases. Naturally, when we heard that he had shared an eight minute opus titled Mayhem In Antartica, we were curious to say the least and had a feeling that we might be in for something special.
Opening with an organic oft fuzz and a melody almost akin to the announcement of a king’s arrival, intertwined with textured cymbal strikes, the melody evolves with a higher octave version and a more dramatic flair. This leads to a guitar-esque synth performance which invites us into an almost Spaghetti Western energy, something that Marc has experimented with before.
Dimensional percussion, a live bass and cerebral synths with muted bells create a crescendo before we are in for a high octane ride with an almost cyberpunk meets Night Rider vibe. Marc showcases his compositional mastery and ability to create a genre expansive experience that feels both cinematic and dimensional.
It is almost as if we are in a race against time, perfect for the score of a movie with a car chase. We learn that the composition serves as a tribute to Marc’s past endeavours and was actually recorded live in 1983 in the stone cellar of a farmhouse in Dracut, Massachusetts – captured using only three room microphones without any overdubs or mixing.
Marc tells us that through “meticulous audio restoration and mastering” in 2023 and 2025, the composer has preserved the essence of the music, with a timeless, yet contemporary flair. The synth performances are mind-bending and exquisite, high tempo with an edge of psychedelia! With an organic bass line and the fierce drum work, with syncopated moments, we feel like we are on an 8-bit DMT trip!
Marc cites Emerson, Lake & Palmer, other progressive artists as influences, and adds, “It is in fact a partial tribute to Keith Emerson.” Marc also confesses that this is the first of five tracks by Antartica – his progressive collaborative trio with drummer Ray Lavigne and bassist Jeff Carano. Marc seeks to pay homage to this period in his life, and preserve the work he and his bandmates worked hard at.
We love the intention and the dynamism that Mayhem In Antartica pertains to, and we have added the composition to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TRIPPY and TIMELESS playlists, whilst we watch the cinematic, accompanying visual, and await the remaining four releases from the Antartica project!