Endorphin expanded into this, his 1999 album release. Skin was the culmination of 18 months of frantic creativity for Eric. And the result? Breathtaking. Endorphin delves deeper into the darkness without abandoning the beauty that made Embrace so appealing.
Far more urban, and edgier than his debut, Skin is an expression of 'doing it hard in Sydney'. It incorporates the feel we came to expect from Embrace, in songs such as 'Passage' and 'Higher'. While tracks such as 'Radio Funk' and 'Grey' reflect Eric’s current environment in urban Sydney. The album was widely acclaimed by both the dance music industry, and mainstream media. This led to Skin winning Album of the Year at the 2000 Australian Dance Music Awards, and Endorphin being nominated for Best Male Artist at that years ARIA Awards. The album sold out so quickly the first time around that Sony was prompted to re-release in January 2000 to cope with growing demands.
Skin was a personal album for Endorphin to make, this stemming not only from his embrace of inner emotion, but also due to the fact that his three year old daughter Zoe makes an appearance in the track aptly named after her. His girlfriend Sabrina also lends her vocals for the song 'Skin'. And they aren't the only featured vocalist on this album. Cindy Ryan from Stella One Eleven sang on 'Afterwords', while Tammy Brennan from Pavo Christatus can be heard on 'Anguish' and 'Time'. All that, plus the blending of Beethoven’s famous 'Moonlight Sonata' amidst trip hop and jungle beats in the track 'Blue Moon', which ensures anyone who listens an experience that will haunt and uplift.
This Endorphin album is a blend of past, present and future, and should not be overlooked.
Skin - Sony, 1999/2000