Grouper is the solo project of American musician Liz Harris, known for her sparse blend of ambient, drone, and experimental music. Born on July 15, 1980, in Northern California, she grew up in a unique community known as "The Group", influenced by the philosophy of George Gurdjieff, which eventually inspired her stage name. A Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate, she moved to Los Angeles to work with Mayo Thompson at Patrick Painter, before settling in Oregon. Her musical journey began with the release of her self-titled debut album in 2005, followed by a steady stream of material, including collaborations with artists like Xiu Xiu and Roy Montgomery. In 2008, Liz Harris released her breakthrough album Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill, which received extensive critical acclaim from several specialized media outlets. That same year, she collaborated with Inca Ore on a joint album that featured the ominous track "Poison Tree." In 2011, Grouper released a two-part album, A I A: Dream Loss and A I A: Alien Observer, with the latter earning notable recognition for its accessibility. 2013 saw the release of The Man Who Died in His Boat, followed by Ruins in 2014, a stripped-down album recorded in Portugal. Over the following years, she continued to garner critical praise thanks to albums such as Grid of Points (2018) and Shades (2021), a collection of songs recorded between 2006 and 2021.
