Bag Raiders

Electro-pop, for lack of a better term, has become increasingly popular over the last couple of decades and as a result there has been a massive influx of musicians who decide to pursue that genre of music. However it’s very rare that you find artists who do it quite as well as Bag Raiders.
Originally Bag Raiders duo, Jack Glass and Chris Stracey, were most renowned for their remixes, of which they’ve done a lot of and have continued to do through the years. However, everything changed for them when they brought out their very first album in 2010. The album was self-titled and contained some very chilled out, easy listening summer tunes. You would probably recognise songs like ‘Sunlight’ and ‘Shooting Starts’, arguably being the most popular on the album.
“The thought of doing an album seemed like a cool challenge at the time,” said Chris on the self-titled album. “It was a good opportunity for us to explore that different side of music making that wasn’t just straight-up club stuff. The club stuff is fun, but it’s also really fun to be able to experiment with different genres as well.”
Excitingly enough, Bag Raiders were announced on the line-up for the Beyond the Valley festival that runs from the 30th of December this year to the 1st of January 2015, right through New Year’s. Chris Stracey, one half of the duo, had some very exciting news to share about their set.
“We definitely have some new stuff, super top secret stuff that nobody has really heard before which we’re keen to try out on stage,” Chris excitedly announced. “We don’t have any set dates yet for album releases or anything like that, but there’ll definitely be some new stuff planned for the people at Beyond the Valley.” But not to worry, Beyond the Valley goers, he also confirmed that they will be playing the classics as well.
On the topic of album number two, Chris ever so kindly let me in on another few little secrets about release dates. Chris explains, in a not so vague manner, that “It’s looking like there might be something coming out later in the year, like a track. I think it’s likely to see a single out in January, then the full album maybe a couple of months after that.” This is super exciting news for Bag Raider fans out there. I for one may or may not have internally squealed when Chris gave the news that a new Bag Raiders album was well on the way.
However, on the topic of album names he absolutely refused to spill the beans, confirming that the running title so far is to be “album number two” until further notice. Laughing off the subject, he went on to reassure that, “We do have a name that we’re testing out, but we haven’t made it official yet.”
With a few things to look forward to in terms of Bag Raider related events, it’s clear to say that they both love what they do and want to be doing it for some time to come. “I think we’ve always approached music with that same genuine love, you know?” Chris says. “We just really love doing what we’re doing. Even when we’ve been working hard on album tracks, if we’re kind of close to finishing an album, or just starting a new song, it’s what we love to do.”
When&Where: Beyond the Valley, Phillip Island – 30 Dec to 1 Jan
By Jessica Alves