Baby Ford: Basking in the Brakelights
Review by Rob Levy

Label: Force Inc.

These days, when you think of techno music you think of a sound that is heartless and robotic. The genre has become a metallic husk without much life, depth or passion. Techno has spawned an evil bastard child: trance music. Indeed these are dark times, when synthesized knock offs, shoddy compilations and overactive rich kids with lots of gear are everywhere. But do not despair; Baby Ford’s Basking In The Brakelights has arrived to save our soul.

Wigan’s Peter Ford has returned from a six-year hiatus to give rebirth to the musical form he helped pioneer in the early and mid-nineties. Growing up in Wigan, the Northern Soul capital of Britain, gave Ford an understanding and appreciation that music needs feeling, melody and heart. He has always applied this to his music.

As Baby Ford, he helped launch Acid House music in the UK. He took his affinity for Detroit techno, Chicago House and soul music and blended it all up in dreamy electronic soundscapes. Ford’s early career was massively success on the commercial front. "Children Of The Revolution," "Beach Bump," "Fetish," "Move On," "Oochie Koochie" and "Chikki Chikki Aah Aah" all were dancefloor staples.

"Crease Release" is a great opening track. Its sound is reminiscent of early Cabaret Voltaire. It has little bleeps and buzzes in it that tweek throughout a snappy 606 bass drum backbeat. "Plaza," "All Set," "Exopolis" and "All that Nothing" are straightforward techno tracks with hyperactive skirmishes of percussion meshed in an Atari-like melody and bouncy rhythm tracks.

The album has some soulful moments, "Built In" and "Cold Sweat," are the more deep house sounding. They are the two most melodious tracks on the album. They have vocal snippets scattered amidst Chicago house beats. "NYC Slippers" is by far the funkiest joint here while "Parallel Life" offers a reprieve with its winding, mellow vibe.

For the most part, Baby Ford does indeed bask in breakbeat here. He moves about freely from breakbeat to deep house to techno with seamless ease. He is soaking in sounds, grinding them up and churning them out as something completely different. The result is a solid album filled with range, focus and progression.

People who enjoy noncommercial techno will enjoy Baby Ford’s new record. Purveyors of electronica that is both nostalgic and innovative will enjoy this album. But be wary, it is not for the faint of heart or the close minded. If you were listening to electronic music "back in the day" then you will love this. This is a much needed dosage of oxygen on the lifeless overcrowded dancefloor of contemporary electronic music.