Fat Freddy's Drop Vinyl Records
They've dubbed themselves "hi-tek soul," but Fat Freddy's Drop -- featuring producer and leader Fitchie, vocalist Joe Dukie, saxophonist Warren Maxwell, trumpeter Toby Laing, trombonist Joe Lindsay, guitarist Tehimana Kerr, and keyboardist Iain Gordon -- could just as easily be considered a modern reggae band that incorporates soul and dub. Prior to releasing their first album, 2005's Based on a True Story, they were already well-known in their native New Zealand; the album shipped gold and became the first independent release to reach number one on the country's official RIANZ chart.