TEST TRACK: BAG RAIDERS
The uber cool Australian guys, Jack Glass and Chris Stacey, brought Bag Raiders to life back in 2006. The Electronic music duo are as talented as they come – they’re sick on the keyboards and drums, have acted as vocalists, producers and remixers, plus Stacey’s additional repertoire of guitar, violin and piano. They slapped on cut teeth spinning at the city’s legendary Bang Gang DJs parties and began turning out electro edits, remixes of their own and studio experiments that culminated in the release of their Turbo Love EP in 2008. They also, write and produce work for other artists and were rated #11 on the ‘In the mix poll’ of ‘Australia’s Top 50 DJs’ in 2009.
They put out their self-titled debut album in 2010, which ultimately peaked at #7 on the ‘ARIA Albums Chart’. Their single ‘Shooting Stars’ revived the bands popularity seven years after its initial release, when it began being used as part of a popular internet meme – featuring people as well as animals falling with surreal, spacey backgrounds. Glass and Stacey themselves, have acknowledged the meme with much approval for it’s hilarity. It’s racked up over 100 million views on Youtube at this point. Go ahead, click on the video below… you know it.
Bag Raiders found big-time success in their career, with their track ‘Shooting Stars’. The song climbed it’s way to #62 on the ‘ARIA Singles Chart’ and made it to #43 on the ‘ARIA 2009 End of Year Top 50 Australian Artist Singles’. The track took the duo to new rising heights before it’s internet stardom though, with it being listed at #18 on the ‘Triple J Hottest 100’ in 2009 and re-entering the ‘ARIA Singles Chart’ in August 2013, reaching the Top 50 at #44.
As rad as they are, it’s to no surprise that the pair had have numerous tracks hitting the charts. Their second single ‘Way Back Home’ debuted at #70 on the ‘ARIA Charts’ and reached #46 on ‘Triple J Hottest 100’ in 2010, it even charted on the official ‘German Singles Chart’ at #38 in 2011, after it was used in the German Vodafone TV advertisement, and would later rise to it’s peak at #19. Their third single featuring, Dan Black, ‘Sunlight’ dropped on the Australian radio in November 2010, and ranked at #84 on the ‘ARIA Top 100’ in February 2011.
In less than a decade, the guys have turned out of a set of EPs that have transcended their sound into new territory, which can be seen from the tropical sonics of ‘Nairobi’ to the silky vocals of ‘Beat Me to the Punch’ and ‘Checkmate’ to the luminous vibrancy of ‘Friend Inside’ and ‘Waterfalls’. They’ve also been on a pretty packed tour schedule that has taken them around the world, playing a 30-date string of shows across North America. The boys have also supported icons like Duran Duran and Chic and have graced the stages at festivals like ‘Splendour in the Grass’ and ‘Bestival Bali’. Although they’ve been getting around, they’ve always kept one foot in the club door with regular DJ shows around Australia and have remixed for the likes of Riton, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Crooked Colours and Banks.
The duo have proved they’ve only just begun in building Bag Raiders and maturing their sound, by their own admission, “a little older and wiser now.” with the release of their album ‘Horizons’ with Universal Music Australia, in August 2019. The album documents the journey of the dream team that is, Glass and Stacey, since dropping their massively popular debut in 2010 – from club superstardom to world tours and one runaway viral meme. Conceived, written and recorded around the globe, it serves as a digital collection of more than five years of life, inspiration and experiences.
With such a personal connection built around the album, the boys intention was to steer clear of flavour-of-the-month sounds and instead opted for something with staying power and substance. They also made it a point to have the album suit a range of moods: from their first unshakable collaboration with The Kite String Tangle with ‘Lighting’, which brought about a bolt of new affections, to their lovesick introspection with ‘How Long’ and ‘I Need You’ to the cinematic bravado ‘Wild at Heart’ and to their propulsive late night healing ‘Medicine’.
Bag Raiders tapped into a delicious array of Australian collaborations to bring the tracks on the album to life. Calling upon homegrown heroes The Kite String Tangle, Panama, Mickey Kojak and Tora to all have their share on ‘Horizons’. It definitely took the boys to a whole new realm of approach, considering they’re pretty much producers who are used to handling everything from the beat to the vocals on their own. It feels cool that we’re representing all this great Australian music,” Jack says. “They add a whole other dimension to these tracks and to hear them brought to life with these different characters and voices is really exciting for us.”
The duo that were part of the wave of now-iconic producers and DJs, who put Australian dance music on the world stage, will not take the reigns at Mrs Sippy on December 28th. Giving you not only the club banger sound Bag Raiders built their name on, but also their new tempered sound of slower, breezier and more introspective tracks. Before they smash it at Mrs Sippy, we caught up with the boys to play our new addition to Secret Bali Life: Test Track. Where we put artists to the challenge, to drop a track for a certain scenario. Scroll down, click play and enjoy the duos picks folks!
If you were raiding a record store, what are 3 records you’re sure to take with you?
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I’d be looking for music for Hiroshi Yoshimura – Music For Nine Postcards, Boards of Canada – Music Has The Right To Children and Manuel Gottsching – E2-E4.
You’re chilling on the beach, getting your tan on. What track is playing in the background?
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Air – Run. Euphoric and relaxing.
If the two of you were to have bromance-style wedding, what song would you guys choose as your first dance together?
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Gotta be daft punk – Something About Us
What track is your absolute guilty pleasure?
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Britney spears – Toxic
You guys write and produce other artists’ work, what is one banger you’ve heard that you wish you had been a part of?
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Tame impala – Borderline
Catch the boys at Mrs Sippy on December 28th, as they’re prepared to set the dance floor on fire and just have fun with you guys – I mean we did tell you how cool these guys are. Don’t catch FOMO and join the party with Bag Raiders, at the hottest pool club in Bali!
