I've been listening to the music of Rafael Anton Irisarri for a long time. The oldest album of his that I have is 2007's Daydreaming. I'm listening to it as I type this and wow, I'd forgotten how excellent it is. His music has changed a bit since then - now using drones, symphonic washes, tape loops, layers of distortion and "bleached out textures." So I was excited when he offered to do a guest mix. Um, yes please!

This mix is everything that I love about guest mixes because it takes twists and turns that I normally do not so it kept me engaged to whole way through.

Here's what Rafael has to say about this set:

"I crafted this mix as Spring gently dissolves into Summer, drawing inspiration from perennial favorites like Arvo Pärt and Harold Budd. It features the work of many dear friends and colleagues such as Sylvain Chauveau and Federico Durand, as well as some favorite tracks I've mastered at my Black Knoll Studio in New York. This includes pieces from William Basinski, Eluvium, Michael Muller, and Julia Kent, along with contributions from Grand River, Animated Matter (Hannah Elizabeth Cox), Concepción Huerta, Christina Giannone, Pepo Galán, and Karen Vogt. Adding a personal touch, I've included a piece from my latest album, released on my newly minted Black Knoll Editions, in collaboration with the esteemed Italian producer Abul Mogard. There's also a special collaborative piece I created with the brilliant Julianna Barwick a couple of years ago. Hope you enjoy! 

Looking forward to playing some shows this summer, starting in Italy on July 7th with Abul Mogard in Rome at Halfdie Festival, then later on September 14 at Ametric Festival in Chania, Greece. Stay tuned for more announcements by following on Instagram @blackknoll or at www.irisarri.org."

Here are links to all the music used in this mix:

• https://ghostly.bandcamp.com/album/thousands-of-eyes-in-the-dark