I recently sat down to interview Mac Quayle the Emmy-winning composer, known for his iconic work on Mr. Robot and most recently Monster: The Ed Gein Story. Our conversation traced his journey from club DJ to composer of some of television’s most unsettling soundscapes. 

From Dance Floors to Film Scores

Before Hollywood, Mac was shaping late-night dance floors as a DJ and remixer in New York. But with the advent of streaming and the death of music sales Mac decided to change lanes.

That pivot led him to collaborate with legendary composer Cliff Martinez, and Mac moved from commercial music to cinematic storytelling 

Scoring Monster 

With Monster, Mac wasn’t interested in jump scares or obvious horror tropes. Instead, he built a score rooted in psychological dread – leaning into quiet tension and emotional unease – the kind that lingers long after the scene ends. The result is a sonic world that feels intimate, unsettling and hauntingly human.

We dived deep into his creative toolkit of  modular synths, processed textures, and unconventional string techniques – exploring the tactile noises that make strings feel alive, anxious and close to the skin.

Mac Quayle Website

Mac Quayle Instagram

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