Irfan

Irfan is a Bulgarian world music band that was founded in 2001. The band's name is taken from the Arabic/Persian word 'Irfan'. Though similar in style to established bands such as Dead Can Dance, Love Is Colder Than Death, Sarband, and Vas, Irfan is known for its extensive use of a choir of male vocals in addition to the ethereal and mystic female vocals of Denitza Seraphimova in combination with an assortment of traditional medieval percussive, string and wind instruments including the darbouka, daf, bendir, oud, saz, santoor, ghaida, duduk and viola da gamba. Irfan's music and reliance on traditional instruments is based on a blend of the musical influences common to Bulgaria, and thus represents a blend of medieval European, Balkan and Middle-Eastern styles.

The band was first signed by the French label Prikosnovénie and made its debute appearance on Prikosnovénie's Fairy World compilation of various medieval and heavenly voices bands in 2003. Irfan's first (self-titled Irfan) album was also released in Europe that same year by Prikosnovénie, and released in North America by Noir Records. Some of the songs released on recent compilations were not included on Irfan's debute release.

The band released their second album, entitled Seraphim in October 2007