Lichens is Robert Lowe’s personal vehicle, created for performance and recording solo and with collaborators. Lichens has performed in Chicago, beginning at the Arthur magazine sponsored Million Tongues Festival in summer 2004 and New York solo and in duos. Lichens live is a transfixing experience, looping wordless vocals into curtains of drone. Lowe adds acoustic and electric guitars, percussion and other effects to create alternately thick and delicate works. Lowe has recorded and released a Lichens CD-R on his own, each hand assembled and released in a limited edition. Lichens contributed a track to the One Bright Sunny Day compilation CD, the debut releases from the Chicago-based IC Recordings label. Further touring is planned. In addition to the release of The Psychic Nature of Being (which is being released on vinyl by the estimable folk/psych/heavy imprint Holy Mountain) Chocolate Industries is releasing a limited edition 7 inch single by Lichens packaged inside a book of art Lowe curated with contributions by Jon Beasley, Justin Schaeffer, Devendra Banhart and others.