Beyond Skin is an album by English musician Nitin Sawhney. It was released on the Outcaste label in 1999. The album focuses largely on the theme of nuclear weapons; Sawhney states in the booklet that the album "has a timespan that runs backwards", beginning at "Broken Skin" with the India-Pakistan nuclear situation and ending at "Beyond Skin" with Robert Oppenheimer quoting the Bhagavad Gita – "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds".

Beyond Skin
Studio album by
Released13 September 1999
GenreDowntempo, drum and bass
Length58:22
LabelOutcaste
Nitin Sawhney chronology
Displacing the Priest
(1996)
Beyond Skin
(1999)
Spirit Dance
(1999)

Sawhney also aims to question what constitutes one's identity – he writes in the liner notes for the album: "I believe in Hindu philosophy. I am not religious. I am a pacifist. I am a British Asian. My identity and my history are defined only by myself – beyond politics, beyond nationality, beyond religion, and Beyond Skin."

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [1]
The Guardian     [2]
The Independent     [3]
Muzik     [4]
NME8/10[5]

Beyond Skin was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[6]

Track listing

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  1. "Broken Skin" (Sanchita Farruque, Nitin Sawhney) – 4:05
  2. "Letting Go" (C. S. Gray, Sawhney) – 4:49
  3. "Homelands" (Nina Miranda, Sawhney) – 6:00
  4. "The Pilgrim" (Sawhney, Spek) – 4:29
  5. "Tides" (Sawhney) – 5:06
  6. "Nadia" (Sawhney) – 5:05
  7. "Immigrant" (Sawhney) – 6:21
  8. "Serpents" (Sawhney) – 6:17
  9. "Anthem Without Nation" (Sawhney) – 5:48
  10. "Nostalgia" (Sawhney) – 3:41
  11. "The Conference" (Sawhney) – 2:53
  12. "Beyond Skin" (Sawhney) – 3:48

Charts

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Chart performance for Beyond Skin
Chart (1999) Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC)[7] 44

References

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  1. ^ DiGravina, Tim. "Beyond Skin – Nitin Sawhney". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  2. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (17 September 1999). "Nitin Sawhney: Beyond Skin (Outcaste)". The Guardian.
  3. ^ Perry, Tim (24 July 1999). "Pop: Album Reviews". The Independent. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  4. ^ Da Bank, Rob (September 1999). "Nitin Sawhney: Beyond Skin (Outcaste)". Muzik. No. 52. p. 81.
  5. ^ Chick, Stevie (7 October 1999). "Nitin Sawhney – Beyond Skin". NME. Archived from the original on 9 June 2000. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  6. ^ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
  7. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 September 2022.