- Baby Ford and Zip are two key figures in a sound that's past its heyday, but for which many of us still have a flame: minimal house. The former made some of the style's best records, whether on his own or with Thomas Melchior as Soul Capsule, the duo behind anthems like "Law Of Grace" and "Lady Science (NYC Sunrise)." Zip, of course, is half the brains behind Perlon (alongside Markus Nikolai), one of the most iconic underground labels of the '00s, home to era-defining records by everyone from Mathew Jonson to Ricardo Villalobos. Every few years, the two artists put out a record together (a rare occurrence for Zip). Uff, their latest on Baby Ford's label, Trelik, is an unflattering example of the sound they helped create.
"So They Say" is a subtle afterhours track, with an undulating groove and drums that feel like they've been carved out of marble—essentially what these two do best. "Uff" and its two alternate versions—the Melchior Productions Ltd. edit and the "Uffapella"—feel less inspired. The beats lack momentum, and are complemented by a tired ensemble of the surreal little flourishes that seem to follow Zip everywhere: distant groans, hints of studio ambience and druggy, moaned half-words (the vocal part on "Uff" goes something like "-eeeaah..."). You could say that it sounds dated, but that would be beside the point—lots of records on Trelik and Perlon sound their age, but I still love them. This one is just a bit too dreary.
TracklistA1 Uff (Melchior Productions Ltd Edit)
A2 Uffapella
B1 So They Say
B2 Uff