''BFORD 9'' is the third

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

by English

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...

producer

Baby Ford Peter Frank Adshead, better known as Baby Ford, is a British electronic music record producer, known particularly for his contributions to the birth of acid house. He has also released material under aliases with Mark Broom (Casino Classix, El ...

, released in 1992 by Insumision Records in the United Kingdom and by

Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gotteh ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Ford co-produced the album with Richard Salt. Dispirited by

hardcore Hardcore, hard core or hard-core may refer to: Arts and media Film * ''Hardcore'' (1977 film), a British comedy film * ''Hardcore'' (1979 film), an American crime drama film starring George C Scott * ''Hardcore'' (2001 film), a British documen ...

music and the contemporary house scene, Ford decided to create an album that explored moods and emotions, while combining elements of his

acid house Acid house (also simply known as just " acid") is a subgenre of house music developed around the mid-1980s by DJs from Chicago. The style is defined primarily by the squelching sounds and basslines of the Roland TB-303 electronic bass synt ...

work. The resulting album is eclectic and explores styles of

techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...

and

disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...

, as well as featuring Ford's soft vocals. The record features the singles "In Your Blood", "Fetish", (a collaboration with fellow early 1990s dance producer

eON Eon, EON or Eons may refer to: Time * Aeon, an indefinite long period of time * Eon (geology), a division of the geologic time scale Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Eon, in the 2007 film '' Ben 10: Race Against Time'' * Eon, i ...

) and "Move-On". Upon release, ''BFORD 9'' received acclaim from contemporary music critics. Ford promoted the album with a series of gigs in the UK with eON, Colin Favor and Colin Dale. The album is known for inspiring Perlon Records co-founder Zip to create dance music.

Background and production

Baby Ford (real name Peter Ford) began his career in the late 1980s where he was a founder of the British

movement, taking influence from

Chicago house Chicago house refers to house music produced during the mid to late 1980s within Chicago. The term is generally used to refer to the original house music of DJs and producers from the area, such as Ron Hardy and Phuture History and origins D ...

producers like

Ron Trent Ronald "Ron" Trent (born May 23, 1973) is an American house music Disc Jockey, DJ and record producer. Music career After experimenting with beat machines and a small Keyboard instrument, keyboard in 1986, he began recording the track "Altered S ...

Larry Heard Larry Heard (born May 31, 1960) is an American DJ, record producer, and musician who has recorded under various names, most notably Mr. Fingers. He is widely known as a pioneering figure in 1980s house music, and was leader of the influential gr ...

, and

Marshall Jefferson Marshall Julius Jefferson (born September 19, 1959) is an American musician, working in the house music subgenres of Chicago house and deep house. Biography Sometimes known as the father of house music, Jefferson was originally a record produce ...

and releasing material on the label Rhythm King. His 1988 single "Oochy Koochy" was one of the most prominently heard tracks in UK acid house, despite the producer being unknown. Nonetheless, as Ford rose in stature, interest in his music became less pronounced. Prior to ''BFORD 9'', the producer released the albums ''Ford Trax'' in 1988 and Ooo' The World of Baby Ford'' in 1990, the former of which had become popular with many disc jockeys. ''BFORD 9'' was written and produced by Ford with co-production front Richard Salt. The record was mixed primarily by Ford and Salt at AML Studio 49, London, and later mastered at Townhouse. Ford was apprehensive before creating the album because he had been releasing much material he felt was "badly timed", explaining: "I don't know whether you can really be ahead of the times or behind them, but somehow if you're not in sync it's the kiss of death." He disliked the direction that

house music House is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 115–130 beats per minute. It was created by DJs and music producers from Chicago's underground ...

was taking, feeling that the "commercial

stuff" was "all ''nextnextnext!''". Consequently, Ford became more interested in developing an anonymous presence.

Composition

''BFORD 9'' is an eclectic,

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...

house album, containing music that is aggressive, keyboard-driven and often instrumental in nature. ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' consider the album to mark Ford's transition from acid house into

and

trance music Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that emerged from Electronic body music, EBM in Frankfurt, Germany, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and quickly spread throughout Europe. Trance music is typically characterized by a tempo between ...

, although writer Ted Kessler considers the record to revisit the acid house of Ford's debut album ''Ford Trax'', interjecting the genre with techno and other styles such as

and

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

, contributing to an overall aesthetic that "straddles the entire frame" of

dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded dance musi ...

and avoiding easy categorisation. Throughout the album, beats and synths are accompanied by

sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the br ...

and vocal effects in addition to

hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved/bent back or has a deeply grooved indentation, which serves to grab, latch or in any way attach itself onto another object. The hook's d ...

s. Ford said of the album's genre: "It's not hardcore, That's all about those old

breakbeat Breakbeat is a broad type of electronic music that uses drum breaks, often sampled from early recordings of funk, jazz, and R&B. Breakbeats have been used in styles such as Florida breaks, hip-hop, jungle, drum and bass, big beat, breakbeat ...

s and +8 speeds. I'm into moods and feelings, and if there's anything in there it's the acid element that makes it different." Philip Sherburne of ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

'' described ''BFORD 9'' as "first-generation

minimal techno Minimal techno is a subgenre of techno music. It is characterized by a stripped-down aesthetic that exploits the use of repetition and understated development. Minimal techno is thought to have been originally developed in the early 1990s by Detro ...

." "RU486", which opens the album with a stiff beat, reflects contemporary British electronic music in its incorporation of rumbles of bass and sirens and a treble melody line, along with a repeating hook. The album continues with the noisy "Fetish," co-produced with Ford's fellow early-1990s dance producer

eOn Eon, EON or Eons may refer to: Time * Aeon, an indefinite long period of time * Eon (geology), a division of the geologic time scale Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Eon, in the 2007 film '' Ben 10: Race Against Time'' * Eon, i ...

. It features stuttered rhythmic loops and abridged vocal

sample Sample or samples may refer to: * Sample (graphics), an intersection of a color channel and a pixel * Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of something * Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal * Sample ...

s, contributing to a "stadium house" sound reminiscent of

The KLF The KLF (also known as the Justified Ancients of Mu Mu, the JAMs, the Timelords and other names) are a British electronic band who originated in Liverpool and London in the late 1980s. Scottish people, Scottish musician Bill Drummond (alias Ki ...

, whereas "Move - On" features Ford's vocals atop synthesised strings and a sped-up

drum loop. "In Your Blood" is a sinister acid house track, featuring a more

minimalist In visual arts, music, and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in the post-war era in western art. The movement is often interpreted as a reaction to abstract expressionism and modernism; it anticipated contemporary post-mi ...

approach containing tinny percussion loops and synth squelches. The track was mixed by

CJ Bolland Christian Jay "C. J." Bolland (born 18 June 1971, Stockton-on-Tees, England) is an English-Belgian electronic music producer and remixer with British roots. Born in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, Bolland's family moved to Antwerp in Flanders ...

. "Sashay Around the Sun" is reminiscent of

electro funk Electro (also known as electro-funk, and sometimes referred to as electro-pop)
Gl ...

, while "20 Park Driven" is a slow funk track, driven by organ and reminiscent of

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

. The album finishes with numerous remixes and alternate takes.

Release and reception

In the United Kingdom, ''BFORD 9'' was released on 18 May 1992 by the label Insumision on CD and as a limited edition double LP. In the United States, it was released in June by

. To promote the album, "In Your Blood" and "Fetish" were released as singles, and in May and June, Baby Ford played live dates in the UK with eON, Colin Favor and Colin Dale. In a contemporary review, Ted Kessler of '' Select'' gave ''BFORD 9'' a perfect score, saying "Ford successfully straddles the entire frame of dance, avoiding much of the categorisation that dogs current thinking in the techno world." He felt that Ford's frail voice, which he wrote was "part MC 900 Foot Jesus, part yearning adolescent alien," ensured that the album explored "a full spectrum of emotions". He concluded that "while the development of House is still in its infancy, Baby Ford is well ahead of the pack." Colleague Andrew Harrison wrote that the album was the first to successfully combine disco, techno and "oblique atmospherics" under the "acid banner." He also described "Fetish" as a "white noise stomperama", calling it "easily the best Baby Ford record since 'Oochy Koochy'." ''

'' felt that the album would "add a shot of musical integrity" to the

rave A rave (from the verb: '' to rave'') is a dance party at a warehouse, club, or other public or private venue, typically featuring performances by DJs playing electronic dance music. The style is most associated with the early 1990s dance mus ...

movement, commenting how the "assaulting" music is "wisely" spiced with sound and vocal effects and hooks. In a retrospective review, Ned Raggett of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

said that the album "had its moments of invigorating house/techno heaven given a fine combination of dirt and sheen." Nonetheless, he felt the album's opening tracks were its strongest, rendering it "another in the long line of dance albums that fails to maintain its strength over its length." He concluded that the album was "uneven but still interesting." Sean Cooper of AllMusic called "Fetish" a "classic cut." ''BFORD 9'' is known for inspiring future Ford collaborator and Perlon Records co-founder Zip (Thomas Franzmann) to leave his band

Bigod 20 Bigod 20 was a German EBM-techno band which was formed in 1988 by music producers Andreas Tomalla (a.k.a. Talla 2XLC and formerly of the band Moskwa TV) and Markus Nikolai (a.k.a. Jallokin). Nikolai, together with Thomas Franzmann, run the Berl ...

and start producing dance music. He discovered the album in a selection of promos given to the band by a Sire representative, and later told ''Pitchfork'' writer Philip Sherburne: "I got into electronic music pretty late, actually, but when I heard ''BFORD 9'', that changed a lot for me-I think it was mainly the combination of the groove and

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

with electronic music, because what we were doing was relatively cold and industrial. It touched me very, very deeply. So much so, actually, that I could not go on being the singer in this band."

Track listing

All tracks written by Baby Ford. # "RU486" – 4:25 # "Fetish" – 5:40 # "Move - On" – 6:29 # "In Your Blood" – 5:41 # "Blow Back" – 4:15 # "Sashay Around the Fuzzbox" – 5:05 # "Intro (20, Park Drive)" – 0:49 # "20, Park Drive" – 7:44 # "Disconoddy" – 6:05 # "Change" (Konrad Cadet Mix 1) – 5:51 # "Move - On" (Alt) – 5:19 # "Fetish" (9AX) – 5:26 # "Noddy" – 6:53 # "20, Park Drive" (Inst) – 7:40

Personnel

*Baby Ford – writing, production, mixing (tracks 1, 2, 5–14) *Richard Salt – co-production, programming, mixing (tracks 1, 5–14) *Kevin Metcalfe – mastering *

Stephane Sednaoui Stephane may refer to: * Stéphane, a French given name * Stephane (headdress) A stephane (''ancient Greek'' στέφανος, from ''στέφω'' (stéphō, “I encircle”), '' Lat.'' Stephanus = wreath, decorative wreath worn on the head; cro ...

– photography *Mike Sale – artwork *eON – mixing (track 2), co-production (track 2) *Kurt Rogers – mixing (track 3) * C. J. Bolland – mixing (track 4)

References

{{Authority control 1992 albums Baby Ford albums Sire Records albums