Chicago-based musician Rob Lowe (90 Day Men, Om, Singer, Matteah Baim) demonstrates the startling, spectral grip of his mesmerising solo vehicle, LICHENS.

Across two acclaimed LPs for Kranky, equally stunning collaborations with the likes of Cloudland Canyon and White/Light and a plethora of other entaglements and limited releases, Rob's combination of inticate, insistent finger-picking and intense, otherwordly keening has seen him elevated to a position alongside both titans of minimalist, metal-inflected drone and the rich tradition of shamanistic, singular American experimental primitivists.

This tour sees his first UK solo performances since a May 2008 tour with White/Light, and a solo performance alongside labelmates Stars of the Lid. Thrilling testimony of that evening can be found here: http://www.vimeo.com/2736841

Lichens on Myspace

DEAN MCPHEE

Dean McPhee is a Lancastrian finger-picking electric guitarist now based in West Yorkshire. His gorgeously liquid, pure-toned playing is supremely evocative of the small splendours and grand transitions of the natural environment. Current EP Brown Bear (Blast First Petite!) will be followed be a full-length LP early in 2011.

Dean McPhee on Myspace

TIME

Having set aside the thrillingly Krautish crescendi of former project Morgan Und Nite, Frances Morgan joins Mark Dicker to patiently expand and quietly exult the dissolved disturbances between the notes to mesmerising effect in TIME.

Noise Immemorial - TIME blog

Miles of Smiles website
Miles of Smiles on Myspace