***Note: Please watch with headphones or a comparable sound system for the full sonic experience.***

I was asked to create custom sound design and music for the Jaguar reveal trailer for the new season of Formula Electric Racing.

Formula E has a unique sonic signature in that formula E cars do not have traditional engines, and so the sonic footprint in many ways sounds nothing like a traditional Formula One car. The electric nature of the engine meant that a completely fresh perspective had to be applied to creating the sound for the spot.

The piece itself centres around a collision between 'ethereal energies' and an unmarked formula racing car. Upon impact, time slows down as the energy burns away the black to reveal the new branding for the season.

The opening elements of the spot contains abstract sizzling electronics and sound design moments. These sounds are musically sympathetic to each other and create a klaxon style piece of music underneath the opening couple of scenes. This harks back to the klaxons associated with high octane racing in futurist video games and high energy situations.

A celestial moment of mangled and affected vocals and choral like textures creeps in upon the moment of impact, as if only audible when time is at a standstill. The low drone of the engine of the car as it hits a wall of slow-time bends it into extreme deceleration, and the sound morphs into a low musical drone, introducing the musical moment which forms part of the reveal, before accelerating again at the end.

I used a plethora of sounds - dishwasher engines, tumble driers, electrical household appliances, alongside hairdryers and other electric and vehicular elements to emulate the rising power cycle of an extremely powerful engine. One of the challenges was the shifting perspectives of which the cars texture had to be reinvented for each camera cut to take account of the abstract acoustic space the car was driving at high speed in.

A very fun piece to work on!