First Time Collaboration Between SIX60 and Auckland Philarmonic Orchestra

Six60 have collaborated with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra to re-record their epic song Lost (taken from their multi-platinum debut self-titled album). The song is available now, and the accompanying video, created by Robin Walters which was filmed at Stebbings Recording Studios in Auckland, is out now.

Lost was already a sprawling behemoth of a tune before Six60 decided to re-record the song with the APO. “It was quite a weird and surreal situation” said lead singer Matiu Walters of the top-heavy session that took place at the vintage Stebbings Recording Studios in Auckland. “It’s always been a dream to have our music scored and played live in a studio with an orchestra. It actually feels really empowering having 50 odd people behind you, an orchestra, playing the song you wrote. It’s really hard to describe, I was just so happy…so proud.”

One of a team of engineers assisting during the recording was Olly Harmer from The Lab. “I’ve never had that many people in a studio ever! It’s next level. The guys at Stebbings were amped, the adrenalin was racing. The orchestra turn up on the dot and you’ve got four hours with them and during those four hours they’ve got to have a half-hour tea break! But Peter Scholes had it all worked out, he knew who had to do what and when.”

Six60 were put in touch with the arranger and conductor Peter Scholes while on tour in Europe. “We were actually in Prague doing a show and Jazz Coleman was there, of all people” says Walters. “We’d always talked in passing of doing a show, or recording a song with an orchestra, but we didn’t know where to start and Jazz put us onto Peter and next thing we’re in a café in Mt Eden talking about the arrangement”

“Lost was a perfect choice for the band’s first foray into working with classical musicians. It’s the way of the future and the APO loved every minute of it” said Scholes.

The orchestral recording of Lost was produced by Six60 and mixed by Billy Bush, who put the finishing touches on The Naked And Famous album Passive Me, Aggressive You. The session was also filmed by Robin Walters at Curious Film.

“We’re coming to this point in our career where we can sum up the whole journey of this debut album” says Six60 lead singer Matiu Walters. “For the release of this new version of Lost to coincide with our album anniversary show, which we’ll perform with the orchestra….it all seems right.”

Lost is out now.