hi8us music

hi8us is a four-piece original band from Boston that plays a brand of rock-and-roll they call “Groove Pop”. Their music is focused on the craft of songwriting, blending lush vocal harmonies with bass-driven, soulful grooves, all served up with an unmistakable pop appeal. With the recent release of The Superficial Deep, the band’s first full-length album, hi8us has taken great strides to further define and solidify their inimitable musical style.

hi8us consists of Jim Chekos (guitar & vocals), Max Monaco (drums), Mike Rakusin (keys, sax, & vocals), and Colin Ovitsky (bass). Since forming, hi8us has embarked on two national tours, the first of which routed the band through 14 cities in just 17 days in July of 2006. Following the release of The Superficial Deep in August of 2008, the band sprinted across North America once again, hitting new and old markets alike, including Toronto, Boulder, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Los Angeles, and culminating in a near-sellout performance at the renowned Boom Boom Room in San Francisco.

Most recently, ringing in 2009 on New Year’s Eve marked the fourth time this band of experienced players has sold out Cambridge, Massachusetts’ legendary Lizard Lounge. Other notable career highlights include performances at the New Orleans JazzFest in 2005 and the Berkshire Mountain Music Festival in 2003, as well as sharing the stage with prominent touring acts such as Soulive, Steve Kimock Band, The Samples, Ryan Montbleau and Mofro.

Marking a milestone event for this dedicated quartet, and demonstrating a defined growth in their songwriting and stylistic definition, the release of The Superficial Deep is expected to call out to music lovers of many stripes and colors, garnering new, enthusiastic fans with each listen.