Visceral Design creates a new sound, one that uses a variety of styles to form a modern-age, cinematic, electronic, pop, art rock band. Their sound incorporates layered guitars, synthesizers, real and electronic drums, pedals and heavy industrial vocals into one complete package. Influenced by many styles of music from Indian Ragas to Western pop, they are able to combine their influences into electronic songs and still infuse raw emotion into their music.
The Los Angeles-based group consists of Donald Kaufman, Steve Abagon and Jonathon Burkes. The concept first begain with Donald Kaufman and Grammy award winning mixer and producer Prince Charles Alexander at Berklee College of Music when Donald returned to the East Coast after studying music in India.
When performing live, Kaufman, Abagon, and Burkes have created a performance in which DJing and live music are fused into one. Live playing and looping of instruments is done on stage, and therefore permits the three musicians to play all different parts and variations of songs. Visceral Design gives their audience a new experience at every show, be it at a rock concert or a dance club. The show consists of live remixing and mashing up of original and mainstream songs with live guitar/pedals, bass, sequencing and vocals.The band’s show is also synced to live visual manipulation done by Jon Bando that works in conjunction with all the music they perform.
Outside Collaborations:
For their second set which is more based on a traditional rock n roll set rather than an EDM show they get instrumentalists Jake Gabriszeski on drums and Jason Lim on electronic violin and guitar. Visceral Design’s recorded music has also been part of a series of collaborations between Donald Kaufman and various artists from the East and West coasts.
Excerpts From Unsolicited Reviews
Indie Bands Blog by Tim: http://www.indiebandsblog.com/north-american-bands/us-bands/visceral-design
Having had the pleasure of getting to hear Visceral Designs music, track by track, over the recent past I have got to know their musical style which incorporates a range of influences from Eastern Raga to Western Pop with a plethora of instruments from the Sitar to the latest electronic gadgets with a sound that revolves around a somewhat cynical disposition, lyrically, as they explore the ever more isolated nature of individuals within a world that pretexts more electronic connectivity through never meeting. Referencing as a source of inspiration Brave New World and as Huxley sits in my top authors, how could I not be intrigued.
The combination of styles and instrumentation generates tracks, which though relatively brief pack an LPs worth of exploration with in the three to three and a half minutes of auditory travel. This is a sound which can be pumped out across the nightclub or equally be delivered to a quieter moment at home.
The Bank Camp Diaries by Peter Vidani: http://thebandcampdiaries.tumblr.com/post/55508213042/visceral-design
Visceral Design takes on post-rock with a whole new twist, blending the gene’s cinematic landscapes and lush sonic walls with layers of dub synths and electronica.
New single “Tic Toc“ has lots in common not only with post rock and dub, but also with other genres such as industrial and brit pop: The sonic aesthetics of the projects also makes me think as if I were listening to a really cool hybrid between Smashing Pumpkins, The Verve and Nine Inch Nails. There is enough “human touch” here to offer that organic vibe we all love, but there is also an edge from the clarity and punch of electronic music, a perfect combination reaching a compromise with the best that both worlds have to offer to a creative act such as Visceral Design. The true star here are the dynamics between the moody verse and the infectious hook, aided by an incredible guitar riffing.