AAVIKKO - The Original Yamaha Boys from Siilinjarvi Now long
established as one of Finland's most innovative electronics-based
instrumental groove exports, Aavikko emerged in the mid-1990's totally
from the leftfield. Their seemingly demented brand of quasi
-psychedelic fairground / nightclub entertainment, disconcertingly
fusing a 60's spaghetti western feel to slavic pop hit melodies, was
emphatically out of character for an unassuming teenage trio from the
deepest small village humdrum of Siilinjarvi, in the cultural
wasteland of eastern Finland. Armed only with cheap electric organs
and a drum set, Aavikko ("The Desert") were one of the few acts
anywhere to have the vision and insight to completely discard the
clichs and conventions and to create something that is genuinely
entertaining and ambitiously original at the same time. Not
surprisingly, it didn't take long for Bad Vugum, Finland's
individualist label, to call dibs on Aavikko's suspect services, and
their collaboration got off to a fittingly innovative start with the
two-format release of the band's eponymous debut EP (1996): the MCD
featured "hi-fi" studio versions of the same uneasy- listening hit
tunes that the 7" vinyl boasted as primal mono recordings. "Monumental
fun. A whole new era of exotica is emerging from under the North
Star... This is the record of the year" offered the Spex magazine in
Germany, without really realizing how compatible the Aavikko Groove
and Teutonic Tastes would prove... By the time of "Derek!", the debut
album (Bad Vugum 1997), the fidelity distinctions were dropped in
favor of a 'best of both worlds' type of solution, highlighting the
deliciously raw yet efficiently clear sound that complemented
Aavikko's grand scheme of things equally well. With its sheer musical
class and full-on versatility, "Derek!" entertained from start to
finish; it sported everything from the band's 'trademarked' surf-house
to maniacal monkey- jazz, from delicate faux-lounge moments to grating
avantgarde screech, from ethnic rhythms to quasi-disco boogie blast
and miraculously, managed to make perfect sense! The underground
success of "Derek!" continued in Germany, where Humppa Records jumped
at the chance of licensing the album, to a unison of enchanted praise
from the more expert Central European press. Tours in Germany,
Switzerland and Austria followed, notably opening for the quirky
electro- chanson popsters Stereo Total, with whom Aavikko soon formed
a mutual appreciation society. This also earned them a slot on a
double 7" compilation (Bungalow 1998) of rather unusual acts covering
Stereo Total's hit "Holiday Inn". In 1998 Aavikko started coperation
with Hawaii Sounds. This first bore fruit in the shape of the hit EP
"Oriental Baby" (1999), which witnessed the trio seemingly seeking a
slightly more accessible way of recording. Constant touring and
endless revision of new material delayed the making of the second
album "Multi Muysic" (Hawaii Sounds / Spinefarm records) until Autumn
2000, but it proved emphatically worth the wait. They had managed to
expand on their already awe-inspiringly wide canvas of 'other worlds,
other sounds' by introducing some organic saxophone, and a high-octane
Kraftwerk pastiche, to boot ("Viitostie", also released as a pre-album
CD single, with three bonus tracks). In 2001 Aavikko invited their
German friend, the dadaistic organ artist Felix Kubin for a small tour
in Finland. After this tour they completed their long-in-process
single Superlake Beat, later released by experimental scottish
record label Diskono. Year 2001 offered other international adventures
as well; after concerts in Glasgow and London, Aavikko was invited to
visit the BBC studios for a Peel Session. In October, after a
succesful tour with Barbara Brockhaus, Aavikko were financially able
to put up their own record label, Muysic For Peoples. The following
year, while busy with their record label, Aavikko expanded their
musical know-how to the world of television and multimedia. Their
popular theme for Kumman Kaa TV series topped the GSM ring tone
charts for three months. In July Aavikko flew to San Francisco to
start their first US tour, a coast-to-coast journey of 21 dates. To
celebrate this tour, Aavikko and their tour companion Mono Pause
released a single (Electro Motive, 2002) together, both groups
covering each others songs. In Las Vegas Aavikko met an exotic singer
called Kabar (who apparently had escaped from Guantanamo prison camp),
and together they recorded Eye fo the Leopard (Muysic-05), first
schlexotica- song in the world. Having already taken their gospel of
'supergroovy supermarket party music from Hell' to such exotic and
uncharted territories as Iceland and Portugal, with much more planned
to follow, the world seems like Aavikko's oyster soon. At the very
least, Aavikko must be one of the premier Finnish acts to have the
potential to appeal equally to chart-oriented music lovers as well as
marginal cult fanatics.
enjoy
