Bag Raiders

Australian duo Bag Raiders formed in Sydney during 2005, with classically trained musicians Chris Stracey and Jack Glass at its core. The pair first crossed paths at Cranbrook School before gaining notice through remixes for Sneaky Sound System, Midnight Juggernauts, Kid Sister, and Cut Copy. Their initial original material surfaced on the 2007 Bag Raiders EP via Bang Gang 12 Inches, later licensed by Fool's Gold in the United States; standout cut "Fun Punch" quickly became a club staple and appeared on numerous compilations, notably Ministry of Sound Australia's The 2008 Annual.

Further EPs followed on Bang Gang 12 Inches, among them Bag Raiders Remixed in 2008, Turbo Love! that same year, and Turbo Love Remixes in 2009. Live performances began in earnest with a slot on Australia's Parklife festival tour in 2008. Originally a B-side from Turbo Love!, the Stylophone-driven "Shooting Stars" emerged as a single in 2009, prompting the duo to shift from buzzy instrumental electro-house toward a more melodic, synth-pop direction. The EP Big Fun arrived on Fool's Gold later that year.

Bag Raiders issued their self-titled debut album on Modular at the close of 2010; it reached number seven on the ARIA charts. After surfacing on Australia's Got Talent in 2013, "Shooting Stars" re-entered the listing. Additional singles included the tropical-leaning "Nairobi" in 2014, "Waterfalls" in 2015, "Checkmate" featuring Benjamin Joseph in 2016, and "Beat Me to the Punch" with Mayer Hawthorne that same year. A 2017 internet meme depicting figures drifting through space revived interest in the track. The 2015 EP Friend Inside also appeared during this period.

Horizons, the duo's 2019 follow-up, leaned slightly more downtempo while retaining strong melodic hooks; its singles comprised "Wild at Heart" alongside Mickey Kojak and "Lightning" featuring the Kite String Tangle. Launching their Broken Head Records imprint, Bag Raiders dropped "UR Heart" in 2022 before issuing further club-focused tracks such as "Never Forget" and "Letting Go," then "Love Me Back" in 2023. These newer outings fused sampled vocals with elements of future garage and progressive house.