N.E.R.D’s long awaited new album, ‘Seeing Sounds’, was named after the group watched a documentary on the Discovery Channel about synesthesia.

Synesthesia is the process that occurs when one sensory receptor is stimulated, prompting a reaction in another receptor.

Speaking to MTV, Pharrell Williams said that they were inspired by the notion that you could ‘see sounds’.

"The most inspiration is probably deep inside a synesthesiac,” he said.

“It's a mixture of senses that may cause a person to experience colorful hearing, auditory smell," N.E.R.D’s Shay added.

"For example, you might see something, and it might trigger a song. You might hear something, and it might trigger a taste in your mouth.

“When we created this album, it was the music we envisioned while creating it. We decided it would be the appropriate title for the album."

N.E.R.D are expected to preview songs of ‘Seeing Sounds’ during their upcoming tour with Kanye West.

The ‘Glow In The Dark’ tour gets underway this April.

(by Jason Gregory)