Jon Mueller The Whole

As his work with such groundbreaking acts as Collections of Colonies of Bees and Volcano Choir can so rightfully attest, there is nary a more inventive drummer on the indie rock circuit today than Jon Mueller. The Whole is his first release on the venerable experimental/doom imprint Type Records, and the dark percussive storms he delivers across this quartet of quixotic cuts rank among the very best of his career to date. Utilizing more acoustic elements than on previous efforts, Mueller employs rolling snares, low toms, hammered dulcimers and the vibrations of his own voice to create a natural drone that transcends conventional notions of what a drummer’s solo album should sound like. The Whole is a beguiling and challenging work from a man whose aptitude for the atmosphere of rhythm knows no bounds.