Review: Baby Ford – Basking In The Brakelights

Artist: Baby Ford
Title: Basking In The Brakelights
Label: Baby Ford
Genre: Minimal/Tech House
Format: Digital
Buy From: Juno Download

Baby Ford aka Peter Ford, who also released as Cassino Classix and Solcyc was considered a major part of the acid house scene in the UK back in the day. And we understand just why that is – listening to his reissue from 2003, we can instantly hear from the intro track’s pumping house rhythms with a driving bassline, the classic sounds of acid. With past remixes from CJ Bolland and S’EXpress, Baby Ford has been on labels like Sire Records and Rhythm King, whilst co-managing the Trelik and Ifach.

Basking In the Brakelights was originally intended for release on the now defunct Force Inc Music Works.  Due to the bankruptcy of the label the pre-album 12″ inch single “Built In” was one of the last releases on Force Inc, and with only the CD making it into the shops the vinyl remained unreleased until Perlon stepped into the picture a year later and it became Perlon 40.

This reissue brings back this almost lo-fi acid tinged flavour and abrupt house-y hi-hats. Providing some unexpected sounds, the track “Plaza” plays with a jauntier rhythm in an almost Anabatic style, before 8-bit bleepiness and minimal drums form “Exopolis”. Soaring synthiness and the first emergence of more obvious vocals in “All Set” and “Built In” appear in a vague and subtle manner, somewhat dipping into IDM and electronica.

Filled with typically ravey 90s percussion, not much happens as the tracks themselves sparsely change, although “NYC Slippers” brings in groovy funk bassline sounds before darker things take place giving a wider range of ambience throughout the record.

Review: Flora Wong