This is a record that is at times bold, at times daring, and at others just plain silly. It is a well thought out posthumous tribute to a multi-talented artist, one of sound and words, who loved to toy with the absurdities and poke fun when he could. A celebration of Randy Barricuda with all funds raised from the sales going to his family.
Astro Unicorn was, and still is, an incredible source for electronic music. For one hour each month Danny Wolfers, aka Legowelt, would introduce the show. Unreleased tracks rubbed shoulders with classics, unappreciated gems rolled next to up and coming artists with even a bit of crypto-zoology to boot.
Another feature was interviews and there were some excellent ones. One featured electro artist Randy Barricuda, real name Perttu Eino Häkkinen. In this episode the pair go into Häkkinen’s electro productions (solo and as Imatran Voima with Jaakko Kestilä), the Finnish music scene, Skwee (a style Mr Barricuda helped found) and a track found its way onto US television.
That interview summarised very succinctly the work of Randy Barricuda, the wealth of music he had made and the impact he had. That was in 2010. Perttu Eino Häkkinen died in August 2018. Not only did the news come as a devastating blow to those who knew this pioneering artist, author and journalist, it shocked the wider community that someone so young and talented could be lost. Kalle Karvanen knew the man behind the machines, worked with the musician and called his fellow Finn a friend. This meant a particularly special tribute, one from X0X Records, Karaven’s label, and a record that had been in cold storage since 2003 would finally come to light.
The plan had been for Laite’s Fuckfaced Robots to be the third EP on X0X but other music went into production and it was shelved some sixteen years ago. In 2017 there was another attempt to get the 12” to press with Mr Velcro Fastener agreeing if Imatran Voima did the same. Karvanen was set to meet up with Häkkinen and Kestilä at the X-Rust 25th anniversary in October 2018 so decided to do the convincing in person. Sadly, the meeting never took place. In spite of the heartbreak, the X0X boss had set a promise in motion and felt the memory and the music needed to be given an audience.
Mr Velcro Fastener, a pillar of Finnish electronics, is the first on remix duty of the title track. The offering is a hard-edged reinterpretation with punchy basslines and a no-nonsense attitude. Beats are full with a snapping snare keeping time. Through chilly rinses and smoke swirls lance stabbing synth lines, lines that balance the distanced sounds with a frosted funk. Imatran Voima take over the flip. The duo of Häkkinen and Kestilä were musical partners for more than twenty years. One streak runs through their productions, a tongue in cheek strand of devil may care fun. This is certainly present in their cut and thrust remake. Broken beats and scratched and scorched as rhythms speed with drunken disregard, distorted vocals declaring “kinky girls in your face.” Despite being more than fifteen years old, none of the tracks on here sound in any way dated. The original, by Laite, finishes the 12”. Vocoder lyrics tell a tale of the otherworldly robots getting up to no good. These metal men come brandishing heavy duty beats, slicing riffs and an anti-social attitude.
This 12” finds itself in a somewhat peculiar position. On the one hand, this is obviously a fun-filled number, on the other hand is the obvious sadness that comes with the passing of Perttu Eino Häkkinen. X0X’s Karvanen deals with this juxtaposition in the excellently written inlay but so does the 12”. This is a record that is at times bold, at times daring, and at others just plain silly. It is a well thought out posthumous tribute to a multi-talented artist, one of sound and words, who loved to toy with the absurdities and poke fun when he could. A celebration of Randy Barricuda with all funds raised from the sales going to his family.
Fuckfaced Robots is available on X0X.
