Back catalogue: Leftfield

Review: Midnight Colours originally came out on noted ambient label Geographic North in 2018, arriving in the midst of a flurry of activity for accomplished drone navigator Rafael Anton Irisarri. Irisarri's work has graced plenty of scene leading experimental labels from Room40 to Umor Rex, sometimes given the lavish ceremonial release treatment and other times tucked away in the furtive folds of the tape world. One listen to the monolithic icebergs of sound drifting through this album, and you'll agree it was too large a work to not make it onto a full vinyl release. Now Irisarri has done the right thing and pressed this spectacular album up via his label, Black Knoll Editions.

Review: Rafael Anton Irisarri's latest work, Facadisms, is an introspective exploration of drone music that encompasses eight atmospheric compositions. Crafted during a tumultuous period marked by social and political upheaval, the album serves as a reflection of contemporary sentiments, blending musicality with thematic discourse. Irisarri primarily utilizes guitars rather than synthesisers, creating an acousmatic texture that permeates the album. While drone elements dominate, identifiable guitar sounds occasionally pierce through, enhancing the overall experience. The collaborative tracks stand out, with contributions from Julia Kent's cello and Hannah Elizabeth Cox's ethereal vocals on 'Control Your Soul's Desire for Freedom', forming a dense, shimmering wall of sound. KMRU's presence on 'Red Moon Tide' introduces oscillating structures and haunting vocalisations, gradually building a riveting soundscape. The concept of Facadisms emerged during Irisarri's 2016 Italian tour, inspired by the stark contrasts of brutalist architecture and the superficiality of Potemkin villages. The album captures a late capitalist lament, echoing the cyclical nature of political disillusionment through repetitive motifs. Each track flows between moments of absence and melancholy, creating a mournful haze infused with cavernous guitar tones. Closing with the collaborative 'Red Moon Tide', the album crescendos into unsettling realms of celestial disquiet and bristling noise, evoking the sensation of a soul's departure into a void. The cover, depicting a decaying structure in La Perla, Puerto Rico, poignantly symbolises the themes of loss and disintegration woven throughout the music.

Review: The seeds of composer Rafael Anton Irisarri's latest LP were first planted during his 2016 tour in Italy, months before that Autumn's unexpected presidential election. The linguistic glitch of an innocuous diner in Milan named "il Mito Americano" - meant as "The American Dream" but translated literally to English as "The American Myth" - sparked a series of ideas, both conceptual and musical. Thus was Facadisms born, a mesospheric meditation on the world's many shared fictions and fantasies, essential and inessential. Listening to this ambient record is like standing naked on the outside terrace of a mountain aerie, blustery winds disturbing but not stopping our staring out over the miniature civilisations clustered below. With gnomic titles like 'A Little Grace Is Abundance' and 'Control Your Soul's Desire For Freedom', Irisarri compels the psyche to exward attention; his thickly packed, subliminal walls of ambience act as vessels through which to meditate on the injustices that puncture, and self-sever, the integrity of the American fundamental fantasy. Even going so far as to decry the concept of freedom itself (au contraire), Irisarri states in support of the record: "The impoverished peoples of the Americas have known all along that 'freedom' is a cruel illusion crafted by the elites, akin to Potemkin's fake villages designed to impress Catherine the Great," Irisarri indicates. "Facadisms illustrates a twisted inversion where the rulers deceive their subjects with illusions of safety, democracy, and free speech to create a grotesque mirage of control over their own lives."

Review: Rafael Anton Irisarri's Facadisms, presented on striking "clear petrol" vinyl, delves into the depths of drone music through a collection of eight immersive tracks. This album, conceived during a time of significant social and political unrest, highlights contemporary experiences while intertwining musical exploration with profound thematic narratives. Irisarri's use of guitars takes center stage, favoring them over synthesiwers to establish a rich, acousmatic atmosphere throughout the album. While the drone elements predominantly shape the sound, distinct guitar melodies occasionally emerge, adding layers to the listening experience. Collaborative highlights feature prominently, particularly in 'Control Your Soul's Desire for Freedom', where Julia Kent's cello and Hannah Elizabeth Cox's ethereal voice converge to create a lush, enveloping soundscape. KMRU's contribution on 'Red Moon Tide' introduces intricate oscillations and ghostly vocal layers, gradually constructing a compelling sonic journey. The album serves as a poignant commentary on late capitalism, reflecting the repetitive cycles of political disillusionment. Each composition transitions through moments of absence and reflection, crafting a mournful soundscape infused with cavernous guitar textures. As the album culminates, it leads listeners into unsettling territories filled with celestial disturbances and resonant noise, evoking the feeling of a soul's exit into an expansive void. The album cover, showcasing a crumbling structure in La Perla, Puerto Rico, powerfully embodies the themes of loss and decay that permeate the music, making Facadisms a haunting yet deeply resonant experience.

Review: Since 2007 Rafael Anton Irisarri has been imparting his grandiose ambient explorations with the world via labels like Room40, Immune, Uzor Rex and Miasmah. Amidst a steady uptick in output in recent years he shared the acclaimed Midnight Colours via Geographic North in 2018, originally confined to a cassette and digital release. Given the towering sonics contained within, it feels appropriate the album now gets a wider physical release on this magenta coloured vinyl reissue courtesy of Irisarri's own Black Knoll Editions. If you dig the kind of tundra scapes conjured by classic Tim Hecker, you'll certainly enjoy this album.