Part of this year’s epic back-to-back-weekends Coachella line-up, Housse de Racket is also absolutely one of THE bands to look out for on the bill. Sounding much like their French brethren Phoenix and other electric-Yacht geniuses like Zoot Woman and Air, it may not be a surprise to most that Pierre Leroux and Victor Le Masne came up as former session players for both the former and very latter of the aforementioned acts.

Though the Paris-based duo’s freshman LP Forty Love landed them in over 200 locations around the world, as they’d toured tirelessly to promote the disc, it is via “Alesia“, their second full-length, that Housse’s thoughful and classically-influenced blend of 1980′s ennui and contemporary zest that really identify them as more than just followers of the people they’d spent so many years working with, bringing them forward as the most exciting prospects to come out of the French-pop milieux in years.

Prior to headlining Kitsuné’s official South By South West showcase this week, and ahead of their arrival in warm and friendly Southern California next month the band checked in with URB. Almost giddily they divulged the cinematic influences that spurred their new record’s mindset, the joys of working with producer Phillippe Zdar, former Motorbass and Cassius impresario as well as the man responsible for The Rapture‘s recently lauded “In The Grace of Your Love”, and how truly excited they are to experience some sunshine this April!

URB:  You’ve toured with Air, who are well-known for their contributions to Sofia Coppola’s soundtracks, and your own album alludes to cinema theory and the history of pairing cinema and music (see: “Empire”), what are your top 5 favorite film scores ever?

HDR: Well it’s true that we do love a lot of soundtracks. It’s quite natural for us to write music with a cinematographic mood. Music is the real universal language. But, in the same time, we love pop music with verses and strong choruses! So it’s a very hard choice. But, for today, let’s say:

1. Ennio Morriconne /  Once Upon A Time In The West

2. Bernard Hermann / Psycho

3. John Barry / Out Of Africa

4. Philippe Sarde / Les Choses De La Vie

5. Air / Virgin Suicide

URB: You reference the Battle of Alesia on the record a couple of time, so, what is the most interesting argument (or “fight”) you’ve ever been in?

HDR: Life is a struggle! It’s an everyday fight to know who you are and where you going… in order to build who you are or want to be! ”Alesia” is also an allusion on France history and origins. A question about where we come from…

Finally, maybe the (lovely) fights and arguments we had with our co-producer Zdar during the making of Alesia. It was very passionate and all about music.

URB: Lastly, seeing as how you’re going to be in Southern California for almost two weeks next month, what about being in and around the area are looking forward to the most?

HDR: We come from the suburb of Paris. When we were kid, playing to the next bigger city was always an achievement. A step by step move.

First time we played in Paris we were so happy ! We never stopped and now we’re going to play Coachella, a few shows in California and all around the U.S.A.! It’s definitely the next level and a step ahead… It’s been a long way to be here, so we’re going to enjoy it as much as possible. We’re so excited about it! California is like a myth to us.

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Housse de Racket‘s brilliantly conceived “Alesia” is out now via Kitsuné and the band will be kicking off a full fledged U.S. Tour this week by playing a couple of the South By South West sets, one of which will be a part of the Austin stop of the Kitsuné Club Night U.S. Tour. Here are the band’s official tour dates and check out the amazing line-up for Kitsuné’s official Austin showcase just below that!

03/14 – SXSW Festival – Austin, TX
03/15 – SXSW Festival – Austin, TX
03/16 – Club Dada – Dallas, TX
03/18 – 529 – Atlanta, GA
03/18 – Local 506 – Chapell Hill, NC
03/21 – The Bears – Cambridge, MA
03/22 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY
03/23 – Il Motore – Montreal, QC
03/24 – Wrongbar – Toronto, ON
03/25 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
03/26 – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA
03/28 – Magic Stick Lougne – Detroit, MI
03/29 – Empty Bottle – Chicago, IL
03/30 – Triple Rock Social Club – Minneapolis, MN
03/31 – Pyramid Cabaret – Winnipeg, ON
04/02 – The Gateway Bar – Calgary, AB
04/03 – The Haven Social Club – Edmonton, AB
04/05 – Electric Owl – Vancouver, BC
04/06 – Chop Suey – Seattle, WA
04/07 – Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR
04/12 – Opti Club – Tucson, AZ
04/15 – Coachella Festival – Indio, CA
04/19 – Rhythm Room – Phoenix, AZ
04/22 – Coachella Festival – Indio, CA