Rod Modell is a sound-designer with 30+ years of involvement in electronic music, and over 75 releases under various aliases and styles. His musical journey began with more industrial / ambient / avant-garde forms of sonic experimentation in the 1980/90’s, and culminated with the dub-influenced Detroit-techno sound he is most known for today. While attending art school, Rod lived in Detroit’s Eastern-Market neighborhood, near the famous “techno boulevard”, home to Derrick May, Juan Atkins, and Kevin Saunderson during that time. Immersed in the blossoming Detroit techno scene around him, influence was impossible to avoid. Modell co-founded the Deepchord record label in Detroit during the early-90’s. Years after the end of Deepchord Records, Rod adopted the Deepchord moniker as a solo artist name, producing dozens of releases. Later, as half of the duo Echospace, Rod released two full length albums and numerous 12” singles under various aliases. “The Coldest Season” and “Liumin” by Echospace are critically acclaimed electronic music classics, and were on top-lists of prestigious musical resources such as The Wire, xlr8r, and Resident Advisor… who wrote of The Coldest Season: “in terms of sheer quality, it rivals Basic Channel’s vaunted catalog… this album is bound to be one of the most fully realized listening experiences to grace your stereo this year, and is proof positive that Deepchord / Echospace are the rightful heirs to the dub techno legacy”. Rod has released a huge body of ambient works throughout the years, and has done remixes for labels such as Kompakt in Cologne, Hyperdub in London, and DFA in New York. He has played live sets in 30+ counties at the most highly regarded clubs and festivals. He operated an audio-mastering facility in the Detroit area from 1995-2005, employing his services to many electronic record labels, including Richie Hawtin’s M-NUS imprint. His recent projects include an ongoing collaboration with Fluxion (K Soublis) called “Transformations”, which has produced two EP’s on Vibrant Music, and a forthcoming LP.
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