Distance as a measure of time and place informs Kelly Finnigan’s, A Lover Was Born with a grit and grace that turns passion into virtue. The latest solo release from The Monophonics frontman roots itself in the best traditions of midwest soul labels like King, Curtom, Dakar, and the Bodie Recording Company. A Lover Was Born is a testimony that these deep cut grooves are not resigned to nostalgia, instead, they are at the burning heart of longing and hope.

The journey Finnigan takes listeners on over Lover’s eleven tracks echo the state of motion and growth since his solo debut, The Tales People Tell (2019). These two records bookend a prolific period of output, including a pair of Monophonics albums, a Christmas album, a mixtape, and a full slate of producing and engineering other artists (The Ironsides, Alanna Royale, the Sextones). “There’s nothing like making records,” says Finnigan. “It feels like that’s my purpose — the reason I was put on this earth.”

Written in California, Ohio, and Staten Island, Kelly Finnigan collaborated with old friends in and outside the studio. “I enjoy working alone but it’s not how you want to make a record…almost everybody I brought in for this album I’ve worked with, toured with or spent a great deal of time with.” Max and Joe Ramey (The Ironsides), Jimmy James (Parlor Greens), Sergio Rios (Orgone), Joey Crispiano (Dap Kings) and Jay Mumford (aka J-Zone) all contribute to the overall sound of A Lover Was Born.

Dramatic influences like Isaac Hayes (check out the piano on “Be Your Own Shelter”) and Jerry Ragovoy are chopped and folded into Northern Soul uptempo numbers to create stompers like “Get a Hold of Yourself” or “Chosen Few”. Finnigan’s take on Deep Soul is captured brilliantly on “Walk Away from Me” and “Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)”, while Boom Bap pervades on hard hitters “His Love Ain’t Real” & “Cold World”. Slower songs such as “Let Me Count the Reasons”, the emotional “All That’s Left”, and the soul-stirring album closer “Count Me Out” show the honest and tender side that has become Finnigan’s calling card. All the while, the voice is raw and earthy — in the best tradition of R&B shouters like Otis Redding, Lee Moses, and David Ruffin.

The songs on A Lover Was Born reconfigure the spliced and sampled DNA of hip hop (extracted by crate diggers like Dilla and RZA) to create something new, underscoring both the spectrum and depth of soul while making a case to the timelessness of Finnigan’s sound.

AUDIOLondon | Dutty Audio, RAM Records, Virus Recordings

COLD FUSIONUK | Renegade Hardware

Deejay MFBern | UTM, United Tribes Berne, Drum FM

Andre & OlivGenf | Loccomotion, argentsale

CachitaZürich

SGBBern

LumZürich

BleachBern

LeefBern

AshaBern

LaudacrisBern

BTKLondon / Sao Paolo

DAYNILuzern

Deejay MFBern

ZEPHYRBern

Fischermätteli Hood GängBern

Projekt ETSt.Gallen

Olekanone & NOVAZürich

zor-litZürich

Animistic BeliefsRotterdam

Naomie KlausBrüssel

Nicola KazimirZürich

AmygdalaZürich

Ina ValeskaBern

BibizaWien

Sol TornasolBogota

OrfigyalMadrid

LamaraZürich

CrybbysBern

Ultra SunnBrüssel

Die SelektionStuttgart

DJ ShuffleBern

DJ KarayaBern

HausvrauBern

EsengoGeneva/Bern

Sabrina TelfarLausanne

Kelly Finnigan & the AtonementsLos Angeles

Vans VenturaStuttgart

Blue MushParis/Geneva

Diselecta EnergyCH / Gambia

Hosted by MC QWERTYCH / Uganda

Milly MillenniumBern

DJ care_less_92Bern

Spice_babesBern

Dino BrandãoCH

IkkimelBerlin

fuffifufzichBerlin

Leila MoonBasel

Sorah & SpokeBerlin

MulahLausanne

HausvrauBern

Jule XBern

Human ImpactNew York

AUDIO
London | Dutty Audio, RAM Records, Virus Recordings

COLD FUSION
UK | Renegade Hardware

Deejay MF
Bern | UTM, United Tribes Berne, Drum FM

Andre & Oliv
Genf | Loccomotion, argentsale

Cachita
Zürich

SGB
Bern

Lum
Zürich

Bleach
Bern

Leef
Bern

Asha
Bern

Laudacris
Bern

BTK
London / Sao Paolo

DAYNI
Luzern

Deejay MF
Bern

ZEPHYR
Bern

Fischermätteli Hood Gäng
Bern

Projekt ET
St.Gallen

Olekanone & NOVA
Zürich

zor-lit
Zürich

Animistic Beliefs
Rotterdam

Naomie Klaus
Brüssel

Nicola Kazimir
Zürich

Amygdala
Zürich

Ina Valeska
Bern

Bibiza
Wien

Sol Tornasol
Bogota

Orfigyal
Madrid

Lamara
Zürich

Crybbys
Bern

Ultra Sunn
Brüssel

Die Selektion
Stuttgart

DJ Shuffle
Bern

DJ Karaya
Bern

Hausvrau
Bern

Esengo
Geneva/Bern

Sabrina Telfar
Lausanne

Kelly Finnigan & the Atonements
Los Angeles

Vans Ventura
Stuttgart

Blue Mush
Paris/Geneva

Diselecta Energy
CH / Gambia

Hosted by MC QWERTY
CH / Uganda

Milly Millennium
Bern

DJ care_less_92
Bern

Spice_babes
Bern

Dino Brandão
CH

Ikkimel
Berlin

fuffifufzich
Berlin

Leila Moon
Basel

Sorah & Spoke
Berlin

Mulah
Lausanne

Hausvrau
Bern

Jule X
Bern

Human Impact
New York