Chicago's Mute Duo is Skyler Rowe (drums/percussion) and Sam Wagster (pedal steel). Building on simple composed melodies, Mute Duo explores an ambient atmosphere ranging from sparse chimes to pummeling drone with a free, rhythmic fluidity. In 2017, they released their debut album featuring artwork by local artist/writer Dmitry Samarov, and in 2018, they released the "Axially Grasp EP" on Lurkerbias. Mute Duo also frequently plays improvisational shows with friends/guests, and have played with Ryley Walker,Bill MacKay, Ben Lamar Gay, Matthew Lux, Brian Case, Tim Kinsella, Bruce Lamont and others. Last winter, they opened for Ryley Walker on a three week tour that took them to Canada, down the east coast and through the southeast. Their second LP, “Lapse in Passage,” will be released by American Dreams Records on March 20th, 2020.

“Lapse in Passage” shows the duo excavating new territory - while their debut album landed them an opening slot on Ryley Walker’s December 2018 tour, the second is a step up in instrumentation, layering, and production. Beginning with the tightly-constructed, cinematic opener “Derived from Retinas,” Mute Duo make it clear their twang-encrusted soundscapes are as structured as they are sublime. Songs like “Canopy Bells” exhibit the project at its catchiest - its opening pairs Wagster’s pedal steel with chiming, melodic percussion that slowly cascades into a rollicking barn burner. “Dallas in the Dog Days,” on the other hand, is a slower, gentler piece that begins with a dreamy piano part before the duo's core instruments appear.

“Lapse In Passage” is an ode to Chicago’s strong, supportive experimental scene, but it’s also a love song to community at a much smaller scale - that of two people sharing space, cherishing it, and brandishing their hope through act of creation.

Pre-order: https://muteduoadr.bandcamp.com/

Connect with Mute Duo: Bandcamp