Who: With two top-10 singles, an appearance at the Big Day Out, and summer festivals on the horizon, this year has been a big one for Six60, whose members - Matiu Walters (vocals, guitar), James Fraser (guitar), Eli Paewai (drums), Marlon Gerbes (keyboards) and Chris Mac (bass) - met while at the University of Otago. The band's first single, Rise Up 2.0, reached number one several weeks after first entering the charts in September 2010, and follow-up single Don't Forget Your Roots, has remained in the New Zealand top 40 for more than 12 weeks.
About the album: Recorded in August at The Lab, Auckland, and mixed and produced by Tiki Taane, Six60 maintains a similar musical vibe to the band's 2008 self-titled seven-track EP, mixing roots-reggae with bluesy guitar licks, soulful, seemingly effortless singing, as well as some floor-stomping dub-step, and drum and bass tones destined to have the neighbours rocking and/or roaring in equal measure.
Highlight: Windy Days.
For those who like: Fat Freddy's Drop, Trinity Roots.
