Following the radical jazz-inflected Comme à la radio, Brigitte Fontaine and Areski Belkacem spent the 1970s exploring minimalist, often a cappella music that stood in stark contrast to the polished French pop of the era. Their collaborative albums between 1972 and 1977 focused on intimacy, spontaneity and poetic lyricism, earning them cult status in underground circles. As the decade drew to a close, Fontaine sought greater visibility without compromising her vision. The resulting project, initially titled Baraka (Arabic for “blessing”), was recorded at home using only voice, guitar, and percussion. Technically ambitious—featuring stereo vocal duets and surreal lyrical turns—it captured a raw and playful energy. But a shift to Studio Davout, with producer Martial “Mimi” Lorenzini and full-band arrangements, dramatically altered the tone. The album, retitled Les églantines sont peut-être formidables, was disowned by the pair and never officially released. Now, long-lost demo tapes have surfaced, revealing the album’s original, unvarnished intent. These recordings strip away the excess to spotlight Fontaine and Belkacem’s voices in their most vulnerable and inventive state, bridging the gap between their experimental lo-fi work and their later accessible sound. A vital document from two artists who have always operated on their own terms.