Pierre and Victor both grew up in the suburb of Chaville, here situated between Versailles and Paris. Starting out as in-demand session musicians-for-hire with local bands Air and Phoenix, oncologist plus touring band members behind Chilly Gonzales, more about Alex Gopher and Stardust singer Benjamin Diamond, the boys were simultaneously making their first steps as Housse De Racket. Fast-forward to the close of 2008 and the duo’s debut album Forty Love sees the light of day. Hungry to conquer the world, Housse tour the album relentlessly, playing over 200 live shows from Lisbon to Tokyo via Berlin and Beijing.

New album Alesia looks set to establish the band as a force to be reckoned with. Having written a batch of new tunes Pierre and Victor met with Philippe Zdar, the respected Parisian producer and one half of Cassius, to play him some demos. Highly enthusiastic, Zdar follows the album’s creation from start to finish, getting increasingly involved, in between his sessions with The Rapture, stimulating the boys’ curiosity at every opportunity, widening their musical scope, encouraging them to break every rule they have set themselves. As the ideas for the album take shape, Housse’s endless touring away from their native France gives the album an unusual thread: of their homeland seen from afar. Resulting in multiple references to their own culture: Chateau and Alesia (French history), Empire (cinema’s auteur theory), Les Hommes Et Les Femmes (the French outlook on relationships).

Amongst all the complex harmonies, from the futuristic chaos (Human Nature and Chorus) to the timeless pop anthems (Chateau and Roman), Housse de Racket have given new life to a certain psychedelic heritage. And yet they relate far more to today’s era of electro pyro-technicians than yesteryear’s prog-rockers. Trust us, when the archaeologists of the future look back at 2011, Alesia will have established itself as one of the cornerstones of 21st century French pop.

“Alesia” is released worldwide, except the US on 22nd August by Kitsuné / Cooperative Music. The US release will come later in the year.

Housse De Racket – Roman (Oliver Remix)
[audio:http://robotdancemusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/01%20Roman%20(Oliver%20Remix).mp3]