The Hausfrauen Experiment – Fruits de Mer Volume 12
Trawling the ever-deeper depths of the undulating oceans of obscure sound, Fruits de Mer’s latest release pulls together a sonic potpourri of songs originally recorded by Silver Apples, Hawkwind, Brian Eno and Cockney Rebel.
Performing the dastardly deed are three fragrant fraulines* from somewhere in the UK, who go by the name of the Hausfrauen Experiment.
It’s safe to say I’m not a particularly big fan of electronic music pioneers Silver Apples, though ‘Oscillations’ is one of the better tracks on their self-titled 1968 debut album. Its hypnotic, trance-like quality is successfully reproduced here, setting up this four-track EP nicely.
Next up is the Hausfrauen take on ‘Spirit of the Age’, the Hawkwind song taken from their Robert Calvert-era, 1977 album Quark, Strangeness and Charm. It transplants the space rock sparseness of the original for a space synth sparseness and a cheerier version of a Throbbing Gristle-style industrial vibe.
The final two tracks, Brian Eno’s ‘Baby’s On Fire’ and Cockney Rebel’s ‘Sebastian’ – neither of which I was previously familiar with – are both heavy slices of synthesised sound and otherworldly vocals, the highlight being the ethereal and haunting feel that saturates ‘Sebastian’.
Overall this is quite a departure for the Fruits de Mer label, being as it is an exponent of the psych/prog/acid-folk sound, here entrenched in a world of electro chaos that pulsates with a late seventies/early eighties synth heartbeat.
The Hausfrauen Experiment interpretations of these four songs are effectively rendered, and despite the shift in sound, Volume 12 should give the record label yet another reason to celebrate.
Hausfrauen Experiment MySpace page
*Please excuse the painfully executed alliteration.
The Hausfrauen Experiment is coming soon and available for pre-order from the Fruits de Mer website. In the meantime, checkout their version of Hawkwind’s ‘Spirit of the Age’:
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