Live Review: Bag Raiders spark a euphoric comeback with 'Lightning' ft. The Kite String Triangle

9 February 2019 | 5:22 pm | Max Lewis
Originally Appeared In

Bag Raiders drop a teaser of their sophomore album nine years in the making with 'Lightning', featuring vocals from The Kite String Triangle.

It's been nine whole years since the BAG RAIDERS' debut, and the iconic single 'Shooting Stars' that won them international radio-play and meme adoration alike. After a string of EPs and remixes the electronica duo are finally back with a brand new album, Horizons, due later in the year via Island Records. Our first taste of Bag Raiders 2K19 comes in the form of 'Lightning' featuring Brisbane star The Kite String Triangle.

Bag Raiders are all about electro-pop tunes that make you feel like everything is going to be okay while you're busting a move on the dancefloor. Sticking with what they know, the duo present a tale of instant, electrifying attraction on 'Lightning': “It’s a reflection on thinking you don’t need anyone but then meeting someone who has such an undeniable pull that you couldn’t keep yourself away even if you tried,” explain the duo. Fittingly enough, it's also an infectiously catchy tune that would give anyone an 'undeniable pull' towards the dancefloor.

'Lightning' is one hell of a comeback, returning to the explosive euphoria that put the duo on the map. Defiant piano chords build alongside The Kite String Triangle's defiant vocals, until the chorus bursts in with a euphoric wall of layered synths and vocals. The track feels matured yet unashamedly triumphant, while also maintaining the innocent, dreamy and dense sounds that put them on the map. It's like growing older and wiser but then being rocketed back to the intense emotions of your youth in an instant - but it's also a genuinely fantastic electronica track as well.

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With 'Lightning', Bag Raiders have proved they've still got what it takes to get the world feeling good and moving at the same time, almost a decade after their initial stardom. While keeping the old magic, they're also bringing a more refined and matured perspective that feels nostalgic and forward thinking at the same time. It's looking like Horizons will absolutely be worth the wait when it drops later in the year.

IMAGE: SUPPLIED

Words by MAX LEWIS

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