Naarm/Melbourne-based Close Counters’ diverse soundscape sits at the crossroads of house, neo-soul, broken beat and disco. Their 2023 Music Victoria Award-winning and Australian Music Prize-nominated album, ‘SOULACOASTA II’, is a sample-infused expedition that further secured their spot as one of the top talents in their class, with the duo tirelessly sourcing niche samples from films and records on trips across the globe. The LP was touted by tastemakers Gilles Peterson, Folamour, Jamz Supernova, Jyoty Singh, Jaguar, Tarsza, DJ Mag, Bandcamp, and landed Album Features with Australian stations Double J, 3RRR, PBR and 2SER. Breakout singles from the pack were originally released by Melvo Baptiste’s The Remedy Project, an imprint of Defected Records.

Their collab 'Rollout' with Young Franco featuring UK rappers Scrufizzer and Jay Prince, won over new fans across the globe and was added to the Official Soundtrack for acclaimed video game FIFA 23. In the past year the band have also performed or provided mixes for triple j, 3RRR, Defected Radio, FBi Radio, Soho Radio NYC, Baked, and interviewed on BBC Radio 1Xtra when hotly tipped as their ‘After Dark Discovery’ and ‘EP of the Week’ (‘FLUX’, 2022).

A true live act at heart, the duo expands up to a 7-piece tour-de-force that boasts live-mapped visuals, dancers and featured musicians and vocalists from their wider collective to create the full CC experience. Freshly returning from a slew of dates across the UK & EU summer in Netherlands, Belgium and ticked off Defected Croatia along the way - the band will be back in ‘24.

They’ve continuously sold out their hometown Naarm/Melbourne dates, notching impressive shows at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, sold out dates at 170 Russell, Corner Hotel, The Night Cat, and packed-out rooms across Australia’s east coast. Support duties have flowed from Madlib, Sofi Tukker, Crazy P Soundsystem, Tall Black Guy, to local mates Confidence Man, The Jungle Giants, Motez and Mickey Kojak, betwixt bucket-list festivals Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival, Let Them Eat Cake, Strawberry Fields, Meredith Music Festival, MONA FOMA, Party in the Paddock and showcasing at BIGSOUND, Electronic Music Conference and three sold-out Melbourne Music Week events.