Rotation 1: The Carrier Wave

Hello all and welcome to the Rotation(s) project blog!

We're excited to introduce you to the artist that will be helming our inaugural Rotation - The Carrier Wave!

The roots of electronic music run deep in Chicago, Illinois - the birthplace of House and, of course, Acid House. Artists like Frankie Knuckles, Phuture and Mr. Fingers picked up where disco left off and laid the groundwork for pretty much everything that followed. Using neglected synthesizers, drum machines, samplers and a whole host of cheap recording equipment they pioneered not only the sound of electronic music from that point on, but also a methodology of independent productions that changed the face of music. Instead of relying on recording studios, engineers and big record labels, they created mini-studios of their own in their bedrooms, basements and closets, cut their own dub-plates and spun them for crowds in the local clubs. It was that pioneering mindset that paved the way for independent artists all over the world to start up their own bedroom projects and experiment with electronic music.

Coming out of this environment, it's easy to see where Christopher Westphal gets his inspiration. His tunes are heavily reminiscent of that classic Chicago sound - 303s, 808s, 909s, 101s, tape smudges and tube amps. His debut EP "Live Takes Vol. 1" pulses with a whole slew of classic electronics that he's collected over the years. With 3 more EPs to follow in as many months, we'll be seeing a lot more of what The Carrier Wave has to offer and hopefully he'll be showing us all a little bit of what took place behind the scenes to create those releases.

Check out the "Live Takes Vol. 1" EP now and stay tuned to the Rotation(s) blog as The Carrier Wave takes control for the entire month of January!