Q-Burns Abstract Message is Michael Donaldson, an
Orlando DJ/
producer that produces a brand of
electronica that falls somewhere between the
big beat of the
Chemical Brothers and the
synth-laden melodies of
Orbital. Q-Burns is one of only a few
American electronica artists (
Moby,
Plastikman,
The Crystal Method, and
Wink also come to mind) that have met with as much critical success as their
European counterparts. He generally shies away from
aggressive noises and ultra-fast beats, instead concentrating on creating a lush, soothing
vibe grounded in the sounds of the
Florida rave scene. At the same time, he frequently reveals his debt to genres as varied as
R&B and
kraut rock.
In addition to his remix work for Us3 and Faith No More, Q-Burns, who is signed to the Astralwerks label, has had time to release an EP (Doublecross), and two full-length albums: Oeuvre and Feng Shui .