Irfan (band)
Encyclopedia
Irfan is a Bulgaria
n World Music & Ethereal Wave band. The name of the band is borrowed from the Sufi terminology and can be translated from Persian and Arabic as “gnosis”, “mystic knowledge” or “revelation” (*see Irfan
). Irfan’s music is an invitation for a mystical trip in and beyond time, a message, poetically extended in the language of the heart. World reviews are hesitant about the genre categorization of Irfan’s music, determining it as Neoclassical / World Music / Sacred Music / Ethereal Wave / Heavenly voices. Indeed Irfan’s music is a World Fusion and it is strongly influenced by the sacred and folk music traditions of Bulgaria, the Balkans, Persia, Caucasus, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as by the musical and spiritual heritage of Byzantium and Medieval Europe, yet it retains its own original sound. The musicians use traditional (Bulgarian, Balkan, Oriental, Persian, Indian) and medieval European instruments and vocal techniques woven into a delicate electronic dark ambient sound. Though similar in style to established bands such as Dead Can Dance
, Sarband
, and Vas
, Irfan is known for its extensive use of ethereal and mystic female vocals in addition to strong male vocals and choirs in combination with an assortment of various traditional and medieval string, wind and percussive instruments including the oud
, saz, tambura, santoor
, kaval, duduk
, viola da gamba, darbouka, daf, bodhran, bendir, zarb and riq.
Irfan was founded in 2001 as a side project of musicians from Bulgarian bands like “Isihia”, “Kayno Yesno Slonce ”, “Om” and “Zarathustra”, but soon it became a new, independent and promising music team. The band was first signed by the French label “Prikosnovénie” and made its debut appearance on “Prikosnovénie”'s Fairy World compilation of various medieval and heavenly voices bands in 2003. “Prikosnovénie” declared the Bulgarians as the “discovery and revelation for 2004”. Ifran's debut (self-titled) album was also released in Europe that same year by "Prikosnovénie", and released in North America by “Noir Records” in 2005. In November 2007 Irfan released its second album ("Seraphim") for the French label “Prikosnovénie” simultaneously in Europe and in North America (through the US label “Noir Records”). Several compilations released during the past years include rare and unreleased songs by Irfan, which appeared along with tracks by artists like Loreena Mckennitt, Stellamara, Qntal and Estampie.
In 2008 Irfan created a soundtrack for the Bulgarian documentary “The Great Heresy” (dedicated to the history of the Medieval European heresies like the Bulgarian and Byzantine “Bogomils” and the Southern-French “Cathars”) released recently by the Bulgarian TV Channel bTV.
In 2009 the band released 3 songs for the soundtrack of the Bulgarian movie "Forecast".
Between 2006 and 2009 Irfan worked with another female vocalist - the Bulgarian traditional (folklore) singer Vladislava Vasileva who replaced Denitza Seraphimova and with whom the band performed live during this period.
Recently Irfan is working again with its original singer Denitza Seraphimova.
From 2003 until now Irfan toured and performed live in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Austria and Bulgaria.
Compilation appearances:
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n World Music & Ethereal Wave band. The name of the band is borrowed from the Sufi terminology and can be translated from Persian and Arabic as “gnosis”, “mystic knowledge” or “revelation” (*see Irfan
Irfan
‘Irfān literally means knowing/awareness. The term is often translated as gnosis, however it also refers to Islamic mysticism. Those with the name are sometimes referred to as having an insight into the unseen...
). Irfan’s music is an invitation for a mystical trip in and beyond time, a message, poetically extended in the language of the heart. World reviews are hesitant about the genre categorization of Irfan’s music, determining it as Neoclassical / World Music / Sacred Music / Ethereal Wave / Heavenly voices. Indeed Irfan’s music is a World Fusion and it is strongly influenced by the sacred and folk music traditions of Bulgaria, the Balkans, Persia, Caucasus, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as by the musical and spiritual heritage of Byzantium and Medieval Europe, yet it retains its own original sound. The musicians use traditional (Bulgarian, Balkan, Oriental, Persian, Indian) and medieval European instruments and vocal techniques woven into a delicate electronic dark ambient sound. Though similar in style to established bands such as Dead Can Dance
Dead Can Dance
Dead Can Dance are an ethereal neoclassical duo formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1981, by Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry. The band relocated to London in May 1982 and disbanded in 1998. Their 1996 album Spiritchaser reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top World Music Albums Chart...
, Sarband
Sarband
Sarband is a German early music ensemble with musicians from 7 nations, focusing on musical connections between Orient & Occident; Jewish, Christian & Muslim music.The group was founded in 1986 by Dr. Vladimir Ivanoff...
, and Vas
Vas (band)
Vas was an alternative world musical group composed of Persian vocalist Azam Ali and American percussionist Greg Ellis. Vas is frequently compared to the Australian band Dead Can Dance. The band released four full-length albums, and both artists have released a few solo albums and participated in...
, Irfan is known for its extensive use of ethereal and mystic female vocals in addition to strong male vocals and choirs in combination with an assortment of various traditional and medieval string, wind and percussive instruments including the oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
, saz, tambura, santoor
Santoor
The santoor is an ancient stringed musical instrument, native to Kashmir and Iran. It is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer often made of walnut, with seventy two strings. The special-shaped mallets are lightweight and are held between the index and middle fingers...
, kaval, duduk
Duduk
The duduk , traditionally known since antiquity as a Ծիրանափող is a traditional woodwind instrument indigenous to Armenia. Variations of it are popular in the Middle East and Central Asia...
, viola da gamba, darbouka, daf, bodhran, bendir, zarb and riq.
Irfan was founded in 2001 as a side project of musicians from Bulgarian bands like “Isihia”, “Kayno Yesno Slonce ”, “Om” and “Zarathustra”, but soon it became a new, independent and promising music team. The band was first signed by the French label “Prikosnovénie” and made its debut appearance on “Prikosnovénie”'s Fairy World compilation of various medieval and heavenly voices bands in 2003. “Prikosnovénie” declared the Bulgarians as the “discovery and revelation for 2004”. Ifran's debut (self-titled) album was also released in Europe that same year by "Prikosnovénie", and released in North America by “Noir Records” in 2005. In November 2007 Irfan released its second album ("Seraphim") for the French label “Prikosnovénie” simultaneously in Europe and in North America (through the US label “Noir Records”). Several compilations released during the past years include rare and unreleased songs by Irfan, which appeared along with tracks by artists like Loreena Mckennitt, Stellamara, Qntal and Estampie.
In 2008 Irfan created a soundtrack for the Bulgarian documentary “The Great Heresy” (dedicated to the history of the Medieval European heresies like the Bulgarian and Byzantine “Bogomils” and the Southern-French “Cathars”) released recently by the Bulgarian TV Channel bTV.
In 2009 the band released 3 songs for the soundtrack of the Bulgarian movie "Forecast".
Between 2006 and 2009 Irfan worked with another female vocalist - the Bulgarian traditional (folklore) singer Vladislava Vasileva who replaced Denitza Seraphimova and with whom the band performed live during this period.
Recently Irfan is working again with its original singer Denitza Seraphimova.
From 2003 until now Irfan toured and performed live in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Austria and Bulgaria.
Discography
Full length albums and EPs:- Irfan (2003) - PrikosnovéniePrikosnoveniePrikosnovénie is a French independent record label founded in Nantes in 1990 by Frédéric Chaplain and Sabine Adélaïde who moved to its current home in the medieval city of Clisson in 2001...
/Noir Records - Seraphim (2007) - PrikosnovéniePrikosnoveniePrikosnovénie is a French independent record label founded in Nantes in 1990 by Frédéric Chaplain and Sabine Adélaïde who moved to its current home in the medieval city of Clisson in 2001...
Compilation appearances:
- Otkrovenie on Fairy World No. 1 PrikosnovéniePrikosnoveniePrikosnovénie is a French independent record label founded in Nantes in 1990 by Frédéric Chaplain and Sabine Adélaïde who moved to its current home in the medieval city of Clisson in 2001...
(2003) - Otkrovenie on Dancing in the Dark: 10 Years of Dancing FerretDancing in the Dark: 10 Years of Dancing FerretDancing in the Dark: 10 Years of Dancing Ferret is a compilation that was put out by Dancing Ferret Discs in commemoration of operating for ten years...
Dancing Ferret Discs (2005) - Stella Splendens on Fairy World II Prikosnovénie (2005)
- Otkrovenie on Asleep By Dawn Magazine DCD 2005 Tour CD Asleep By Dawn (2005)
- Peregrinatio on Asleep By Dawn Magazine DCD 2005 Tour CD Asleep By Dawn (2005)
- Star of the Winds on Dancing in the Dark 2006: A Dancing Ferret Compilation Dancing Ferret Discs (2006)
- Fei on Effleurment: A Prikosnovénie Compilation Prikosnovénie (2006)
- Simurgh on Fairy World III Prikosnovénie (2007)
List of band members
- Denitza Seraphimova (2002–2006; 2009–present) -- vocals
- Kalin Yordanov (2001–present) -- vocals, daf, bodhran
- Ivailo Petrov (2001–present) -- programming, oud, saz, tambura
- Kiril Bakardjiev (2001–2008) -- programming, keyboard, santoor
- Peter Todorov (2004–present)-- darbouka, zarb, riq
- Vladislava Todorova (2006–2009) -- vocals
- Yasen Lazarov (2008–present)-- harmonium, kaval, nay, duduk