SIX60

If you’re wondering what might constitute modern soul, look no further than SIX60, who seamlessly marry up-to-the-minute pop and electronic flourishes with the timeless vulnerability of Matiu Walters’ raspy, sky-high falsetto. The Dunedin, New Zealand, ensemble’s third album is another bold step into the big leagues, from the world-class production to the slick, streamlined songwriting. Walters remains an affable romantic, whether dispensing sultry come-ons like “Come on back to bed and let’s wake the neighborhood” on “Please Don’t Go” or pouring his most fragile feelings into the breakup ballad “Ghosts” or the lithe, emotional earworm “Breathe.” Despite all the timely fine-tuning behind these songs, at heart they could have topped the charts in any recent decade: Observe the ghostly guitar intro and sizzling organ on the self-fulfilling affirmation “The Greatest” and those low-slung reggae licks on “Raining.” Whatever the stylistic backdrop, Walters’ pure voice and lyrical sentiments shine through every time.