YOUR TOP TWELVE: As we draw closer to the end of festival season, we see our first shortlist of the hotly-contended artists we’ve all been talking about this year and last.
The shortlist – comprised of 13 albums – features 9 from London-based artists and Arctic Monkeys – which ties with Radiohead’s record of receiving the most nominations for a Mercury Prize matching the number of 5 altogether.
While Arctic Monkeys The Car has been nominated for their avant-lounge experiment, Loyle Carner and J Hus receive their second nomination, for albums that tackle perceptions of masculinity and the cycle of violence on the streets of London, with both Hugo and Beautiful / Brutal Yard turning heads this year. Which is a far better reason for a position in the shortlist, rather than already dominating as a band in the live circuit for many years. We also see the irresistible disco lights of J Ware receive recognition for her fifth album, That! Feels Good!; although doesn’t offer much in terms of the music expose of “originality.” While breakout dance act of Fred Again (no doubt prodded forward by his Dad, whoops) is swept up in the Coachella flurry with his larger than (real) life album of Actual Life 3, made from everyday noises of nonsense.
There’s also two newbies in the mix, with their albums taking a more hardened approach to the otherwise wet category of pop. Both equally immeasurable in production, both equally fantastic in songwriting capability. We are of course, talking about Shygirl and her juicy coochie – her words not mine – and Olivia Dean. We also see star RAYE on the list, which, by going off her Glastonbury performance this year, is no real shock. RAYE’s long-awaited debut of My 21st Century Blues brings together an illustrious collection of soft pop, lounge R&B and alternative hip-hop lavishing after a fight with both her record label and an alleged sexual assault. A deeply powerful piece of work no doubt drawn straight from the heart.
We also see favourites Young Fathers who just so happened to be the last collective to win it outside of London (in 2014) – which makes me wonder, where’s the love for the other artistry? News flash – London is just one city. It may be a big city with a wealth of musicians in its wake, but it’s still just a city of many. I’m getting a sneaky suspicision that we also made these same lack of diversity claims last year too.
Young Fathers enter the fold with their Heavy, Heavy album – which is a blisteringly fun album pulled in every direction of influence, as it drives home this inevitable toll of living and letting go from it all. But they’ve already won it, so let’s throw the spotlight in someone else’s face, shall we?
The shortlist is completed by Irish doom-folk group Lankum, pop experimentalists Jockstrap, and buzz-worthy jazz outfit Ezra Collective. All of which have had a monumental year of garnering a larger audience and performing in prolific spots during festival season this year, so it’s really anyone’s game.
And that’s it. A mightily tight shortlist this year, in my opinion. My money is on RAYE after what the album means to most but my heart is on my guy Loyle to win it. hugo is something else.
It was Little Simz last year – who will it be this year?
YOUR 2022 IN REVIEW: How does this stack up from last years?
YOUR 2022 WINNER: The Mercury of Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert
You can find all the information you need for this years’ Mercury Prize: https://www.mercuryprize.com/.
You can also view the times we’ve talked about these albums below.
- Arctic Monkeys – The Car
- Ezra Collective – Where I’m Meant To Be
- Actual Life 3 – Fred Again
- Beautiful and Brutal Yard – J Hus
- That! Feels Good! – Jessie Ware
- I Love You Jennifer B – Jockstrap
- False Lankum – Lankum
- hugo – Loyle Carner
- Messy – Olivia Dean
- My 21st Century Blues – RAYE
- Nymph – Shygirl
- Heavy Heavy – The Fathers
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