Album Review: Brian Finnegan, Hunger of the Skin

In an era of social-distancing and all-pervading anxiety, Brian Finnegan has powerfully articulated the universal sense of yearning for human contact, with his new album, Hunger Of The Skin. It's a celebration of physical connection and real, visceral emotion – far beyond that which can be expressed through a Zoom call.

Written during the first lockdown in 2020, and recorded at home and in studios around the world with an impressive cast of 24 collaborators, Hunger Of The Skin is a soulful, spirit-raising journey – which particularly shines in its moments of astonishing intensity and explosive energy. Finnegan and co. are barely allowed time to catch their breath, as instrumentation, genres and indeed musicians from around the world are incorporated into the flute and whistle player's central vision. The project also features multilingual voices and recitations – featuring poetry by Boris Grebenshikov, Gearóid MacLochlainn and Morna Finnegan.

Unlike some artists who have previously dipped into 'trad-fusion', Finnegan isn't throwing together random flavours of international music for the hell of it, or the novelty factor – rather, every new direction is guided by passion and instinct, with an emphasis on authenticity, and the borderless nature of truly uplifting music.

Listen to Hunger Of The Skin below: