"Irisarri uses his guitar as a strings-like symphonic element to generate atmospheric massesÖlike an ambient symphony recording thatís been rescued from attic entombment after half a century." - Textura

Rafael Anton Irisarri is an American composer, multi-instrumentalist, curator, producer and mixed media artist. He is predominantly associated with post-minimalist, drone and ambient music and has been exploring textural electronics for over half a decade. He is also known as the main member of electronic/shoegaze outfit The Sight Below.

Irisarriís recorded output captures an essential vision of floating tones, deep pulsing bass and textured Gaussian curves. His use of ostinato phrases taps into minimalist ideals, whilst his use of atmospheric layers of reverb suggests a more cinematic quality. In all, Irisarriís compositions are deeply emotive and epic to the point of being symphonic. His work is widely published in over a dozen labels around the globe, most notably on respected Ann Arbor, MI imprint Ghostly International. His compositions were once described by The Wire contributing writer Jefferson Petrey as "a dual perspective close-up focus on the micro textures of rustling static-filled sonic surfaces with the wide-open distant tree lined horizons of sunset at dusk." Indie website Popmatters depicted his music as ìsensual, propulsive, and shrouded in mercurial darknessî while UK's Drowned In Sound chronicled ìhis ear for a soul-crushing melody continues to shine through the albumís dense caverns of reverb.î Chris Brosman from online tastemaker Pitchfork Media referred to his production work as ìa beautifully bleak cloud of sound," while music journalist Patric Fallon from XLR8R magazine praised his compositions as "dense, panoramic soundscapes."

Irisarri travels frequently to perform live throughout Europe, North America, Australia and the Middle East. Highlights include concerts at Barcelonaís Sonar Festival, Detroitís Movement: DEMF, Montrealís MUTEK, Krakowís Unsound Festival, and Londonís OpenFrame. Aside from electronic music festivals, Irisarri has presented his works at multidisciplinary arts events, including Milanís prestigious MITO SettembreMusica festival and Israel Festival in Jerusalem.

Irisarri has collaborated live with an assortment of like-minded artists: Fennesz, Lillevan, Lawrence English, Grouper, Andrea Belfi, Simon Scott, Lusine, Shackleton, Lissom, Solvent, Svarte Greiner, and Marcus Fjellströ".

Back home in Seattle, Irisarri curates and produces advance sound and interdisciplinary art events, thus helping create a hub for contemporary art proposals in the city while engaging in a constant dialogue with fellow artists, producers, critics and audiences.

A side project of Rafael Anton Irisarri: The Sight Below