Biography
Ambient composer Gregg Kowalsky shapes layered drones and site-responsive installations from tapes, oscillators, prepared guitars, pianos, and additional tools, moving fluidly between austere, high-intensity works and luminous, affirmative ones. Born in New York City and raised in Florida, he lived for a period in Barcelona in the early 2000s. His earliest recordings appeared under the Osso Bucco moniker, with several tracks placed on compilations and a split CD alongside Ljudbilden & Piloten. After settling in California he completed a Master’s degree in Electronic Music Composition at Mills College under Fred Frith, Maggi Payne, and Pauline Oliveros.
Kranky issued his first full-length, Through the Cardial Window, in 2006. Following a handful of limited editions on Root Strata, Digitalis, and Kning Disk, his second Kranky album, Tape Chants, arrived in 2009 as a studio document of his ongoing electro-acoustic practice of positioning arrays of cassette players in specific locations. He continued to chronicle these installation pieces with Battery Townsley on Senufo Editions in 2011 and Movements in Marble and Stone on Amish Records in 2012, the latter featuring a collaboration with lute player Jozef Van Wissem.
Together with frequent partner Marielle Jakobsons he launched Date Palms, a project that incorporated folk and psychedelic elements; the duo’s debut, Of Psalms, appeared on Root Strata in 2010, followed by further LPs on Mexican Summer, Immune, and Thrill Jockey. Kowalsky and Jakobsons also joined the Bay Area avant-garde collective Portraits, whose self-titled album was released by Important Records in 2012. After ten years in the Bay Area he relocated to Los Angeles, where Mexican Summer issued the solo album L’Orange, L’Orange in 2017.
Kranky issued his first full-length, Through the Cardial Window, in 2006. Following a handful of limited editions on Root Strata, Digitalis, and Kning Disk, his second Kranky album, Tape Chants, arrived in 2009 as a studio document of his ongoing electro-acoustic practice of positioning arrays of cassette players in specific locations. He continued to chronicle these installation pieces with Battery Townsley on Senufo Editions in 2011 and Movements in Marble and Stone on Amish Records in 2012, the latter featuring a collaboration with lute player Jozef Van Wissem.
Together with frequent partner Marielle Jakobsons he launched Date Palms, a project that incorporated folk and psychedelic elements; the duo’s debut, Of Psalms, appeared on Root Strata in 2010, followed by further LPs on Mexican Summer, Immune, and Thrill Jockey. Kowalsky and Jakobsons also joined the Bay Area avant-garde collective Portraits, whose self-titled album was released by Important Records in 2012. After ten years in the Bay Area he relocated to Los Angeles, where Mexican Summer issued the solo album L’Orange, L’Orange in 2017.
Albums
Eso Es
2023
L'Orange L'Orange
2017
Movements in Marble and Stone
2012
Tape Chants
2009
Through the Cardial Window
2006
Singles
