Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe is an American musician, composer and sound artist who records under the moniker Lichens. In live performances as Lichens, Lowe incorporates spontaneous arrangements of voice and modular synthesizer patch pieces.
Lowe was previously a member of 90 Day Men before beginning the moniker. In the past, Lowe would use acoustic and electric guitars, and on some occasions, percussion. Lichens' first release was The Psychic Nature of Being, a three-track album recorded as a one-time improvisation without overdubbing. In 2007, Lichens released Omns, which was intended to be a continuation of The Psychic Nature of Being using slightly different techniques in recording and editing. Since 2007 Lowe has been focused on live performance and the physicality of sound as well as many releases and collaborations.
In 2008, Lichens toured extensively opening for instrumental post-rock band Explosions in the Sky and played at their curated All Tomorrow's Parties music festival. Lowe performed in the noise rock supergroup Singer, playing bass and providing vocals on two albums for Drag City with Todd Rittman and Adam Vida of U.S. Maple and Ben Vida of Town & Country.