Iconic New Zealand outfit Six60 released their fourth album, Castle St. It is their first LP to not feature a eponymous album name. The album title makes reference to Castle Street in Dunedin, where the band members all first met.
The LPs lead single ‘Before You Leave’, describes lead vocalist Matiu Walters’ experience with becoming a father.
The LP is certainly different from their previous self-titled albums. Sonically, it is distinguishable. There are less electronic elements and the band take a different route in terms of the vibes of the album. It is more ethereal in it’s tone. ‘Far Away So Close’ is a perfect example of this. The album will be a change of pace for earlier fans of the group.
Walters said the album has been deeply influenced by their voyage into Te Ao Māori with the Waiata Anthems albums. “It’s almost like a back-to-basics thing for us. How the album was made was just the five of us together in a room, very similar to how it was for the first gold album back in 660 Castle Street.”
In a sense, the album is the band coming full circle. By returning to their beginnings as a friend group, they explore deep concepts that highlight their maturity as artists.
The album is in essence them not forgetting their roots (bad pun I know).
