The Hottest Track of 2020: CruisiN’
25 Nov 2020
Close your eyes and picture yourself getting into your car. What do you hear? The door opening and closing. The snap of the seatbelt. The roar of the engine as you start it up. And last but not least, the sound of the audio system, ready to serenade you with your favorite songs. Whether you love car karaoke, taking a relaxing ride with some chill beats, or pretending you’re in an action film with the soundtrack playing, there’s no drive that isn’t made better by the presence of music.
25 Nov 2020
A symphony of sounds
When you closed your eyes and imagined getting into your car, you could probably hear every sound clearly. Each car sound serves a purpose, and when you love driving your car, you know every click, beep, and hum by heart. It’s a symphony of sounds and you’re the conductor behind the wheel… but what if the sounds of your auto orchestra transformed into an awesome track for your daily drive?
That was our thought, too. It’s in the background of every drive, and as proven by the amazing videos we got for the Sounds of N showcase on our Instagram, you love those sounds as much as we do. We asked our N-fluencers and N-thusiasts (what we like to call our fans) to send footage of the awesome sounds their N makes while they drive, and then, shared it on our Instagram. The response was amazing! Go check out the Instagram post.
As a result, we were inspired in part by those N-fluencers and N-thusiasts, and wanted to make N sounds into an actual song. We went to a studio and recorded some of the sounds from a Veloster N—from the wipers to the door locks to the windows. Take a listen to the sounds we got in the studio below. Plus, of course, the signature pops and crackles of the exhaust and engine sounds. “I was surprised, because the sounds that could be made with a car were more diverse than I thought,” said one team member. Another remarked, “The car sounded fierce like a beast, and in the quiet of the recording studio the exhaust sounds were even more powerful and exciting.” The recordings were then handed over to a producer, who transformed these automotive notes into a tune that’s fun to drive to.
Press play to listen to the sounds we recorded in the studio!
- 1. Downshift
- 2. Horn
- 3. Upshift
- 4. Engine start
- 5. Exhaust/Popcorn
- 6. Engine
The beauty of Veloster N sounds pulled in the producer immediately, too. When we approached him to create the song, we asked for a song you can drive to. He wanted to not only spotlight the beauty of the sounds of Veloster N, and how they are all related to N being fun to drive, but add some depth to the track to make it something you can listen to anywhere. He said, “The first time I heard the signature sound of Veloster N, I immediately felt like I was in the driver’s seat. I wanted to combine that sound with the feeling I had of it being fun to drive, and I thought that something with powerful beats would best align with the feeling of driving a Hyundai N.”
The producer took the sounds and was able to transform them from clicks and pops into rhythms and melodies. He explained, “The Veloster N sounds were used to create the beat. There are driving sounds in the background, as well as the exhaust sound from Veloster N, to amplify the feeling of driving while you listen. I also created a drum rhythm from the car sounds. I think that these details, mixed with the hip-hop style and drops (where the beat suddenly changes) all suit the driving theme.” Listen to the track by hitting play on the video below. After the first playthrough, make sure you take a deeper listen and see if you can pick out the sounds!
The signature sounds of a Hyundai N: Top of the pops
In addition to all the sounds you hear just as you’re getting settled in for a long drive, Hyundai N cars are known for the distinct sounds they make while you’re driving. Snap, crackle, pop of the exhaust. The purr of the engine when it’s in normal mode or the roar of N mode. All the sounds that let you know this is high performance — this is the race car that’s also right at home driving your daily commute.
More than just sounding awesome, the pop of a Hyundai N’s exhaust actually helps keep your drive a bit smoother. In N mode, once you let off the gas pedal, the engine waits until the exhaust valves are open to ignite the air and fuel mixture is pulled in. This pause causes more air to escape through the pipe and that is what causes the sound. It’s a mild form of anti-lag from the turbo, and as a result, it keeps the turbocharger at the ready while you shift, maintaining the boost of power for when you’re in the next gear.
The Variable Exhaust Valve within the Hyundai N cars is what allows that snap, crackle, pop to happen — because it can adjust how it opens based on different stages, as well as the mode you choose. Each N drive mode features a different exhaust note; as mentioned above, N mode will deliver a lot more of that signature exhaust sound that’s like what you’d hear from a WRC car. In Normal mode, you still get a striking purr from the high-performance engine, but it’s a more restrained sound compared to N mode. The best part is that you can choose the mode and the stages manually, so if you’re looking to soundtrack your drive with a specific genre, you can take your pick.
Your next N playlist
We’ve covered the A to Z of sounds when it comes to Veloster N. Each aspect of what gives Veloster N its high performance makes the car sound as good as it feels to drive. If the sophisticated, stylish exterior doesn’t turn heads, the high-octane noises it makes as you accelerate are sure to.
To wrap up, we asked the producer where he’d like to drive (while listening to this song, of course) and he said, “I’d like to go on a long drive over a weekend to Yeongjong Island, off the west coast of South Korea. Even though I make music, my wife is more romantic than I am, so I’d like to show her the beach at night.” Sounds to us like a perfect way to spend a couple days — although any day you spend in Veloster N is going to be a perfect day. So turn on the tunes, start your engine, and tune out the world while you go for a nice, long drive.
Bonus: If you like CruisiN’, the producer offered up this mini playlist to recommend some similar songs to N-thusiasts.
- Kendrick Lamar - HUMBLE. (Skrillex Remix)
- Yellow Claw - Fake Chanel (feat. A$AP Ferg & Creek Boyz)
- DJ Snake - Trust Nobody
- DJ Snake - Get Low
- DJ Snake - Taki Taki
- WINNER – Hold
- SOMI - BIRTHDAY
- ZICO - BERMUDA TRIANGLE
