Project Glass Horizon
BR-2026-1330 · Highmark Cars · Premium EV series launch campaign · Issued June 11, 2026 · Due June 16, 2026
◆The Scene
Highmark is launching their new electric vehicle series this fall, marking a deliberate departure from their past combustion-focused campaigns. The creative centers on a quiet reveal, precision engineering closeups, and a final tagline moment. We're abandoning the category's default rock templates entirely. This spot breathes.
◆The Music
We're after an instrumental track that feels like engineered luxury without falling into cinematic orchestral territory. Think electronic with ambient depth and a touch of jazz sophistication in the harmonic movement. The piece should unfold gradually, starting restrained and gaining momentum as design details emerge on screen. The challenge here is nailing that sophisticated progression without overwhelming the visuals or reaching for the obvious build-and-payoff structure the category defaults to. This should feel modern, precise, and confident in its restraint.
◆Direction
- →Open with ambient electronic texture, something glassy or metallic that establishes a clean sonic palette. Light pad work or processed synth tones. No percussion in the first 8 seconds.
- →Introduce subtle pulse or rhythmic element around 0:08, coinciding with the vehicle reveal. This should feel more like metronomic precision than groove, something that suggests motion without demanding attention. Think modular sequence patterns or gated pads rather than beats.
- →Layer in jazz-informed harmonic movement in the second half. Extended chords, perhaps a Rhodes or vibraphone-type timbre adding warmth. The sophistication comes from unexpected voicings, not complexity. Keep it minimal.
- →Final section (0:23 onward) can introduce one additional element for lift, maybe a brighter synth line or a filtered arpeggio that suggests forward momentum into the tagline. This is subtle emphasis, not a climax.
◆References
Nils Frahm, Says ↗Use: The patient build and electronic-meets-acoustic hybrid texture are right, but we need less emotional weight and more restraint. Think cleaner production, less reverb wash, more defined edges.
Jon Hopkins, Open Eye Signal ↗Use: Love the precision of the pulse and the way layers accumulate without clutter, but strip out the intensity. We're after the architecture and control here, not the peak-moment energy. Stay in the first two-thirds of that track's dynamic range.
Portico Quartet, Knee-Deep in the North Sea ↗Use: The jazz harmony filtered through electronic production is exactly the sophistication we want. However, avoid the hang drum, and keep it more urban-modern than this track's organic feel. Substitute synth timbres for acoustic ones.
◆Sonic DNA
Genre
Electronic / Ambient / Jazz
Mood
Sleek → Sophisticated → Dynamic
Tempo
Midtempo, 95, 105 BPM
Key
Modal harmonic movement preferred. Minor tonalities with major color chords. Avoid clear resolutions or obvious cadences.
Length
:30 master with natural cut point at :15 (should feel complete, not abrupt)
Type
Fully instrumental. No lead vocals. Non-lyrical vocal textures (breathy pads, processed oohs) are acceptable if they serve the ambient layer, but not required.
BR-2026-1330 · Community Brief