Ryoji Ikeda, Japan's leading electronic composer, focuses on the minutiae of ultrasonics, frequencies and the essential characteristics of sound itself. His work exploits sound's physical properties, and its interaction with human perception, time and space. Using computers and digital technologies to their utmost limit, Ikeda has been developing 'microscopic' methods for sound engineering and composition.

Since 1995 he has been active in sound art through concerts, sound installations and recordings: the albums +/- (1996), O°C (1998) and matrix (2000) have been hailematrix hailed by critics as the most radical and innovative examples of contemporary electronic music.

Ikeda is working with Carsten Nicolai on the collaborative project cyclo., which examines error structures and repetitive loops in software and computer programmed music, with audiovisual modules for real-time sound visualisation. The versatile range of Ikeda's research is also demonstrated by his collaborations with choreographer William Forsythe/ Frankfurt Ballett, artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, architect Toyo Ito and artist collective Dumb Type, among others.

Ryoji Ikeda received the Golden Nica prize at Prix Ars Electronica 2001 in the Digital Music category.