The Mercury Prize nominees for the best album of 2016, in alphabetical order were:
- Anohni-Hopelessness (electronic)
- Bat For Lashes-Bride (indie/folk)
- David Bowie-Blackstar (rock)
- Jamie Woon-Making Time (soul)
- Kano-Made In The Manor (grime/rap)
- Laura Mvula-The Dreaming Room (soul/pop)
- Michael Kiwanuka-Love & Hate (soul/blues)
- Radiohead-A Moon Shaped Pool (indie electronic/alternative rock)
- Savages-Adore Life (post punk)
- Skepta-Konnichiwa (grime/rap/electronic)
- The 1975-I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It (indie pop)
- The Comet Is Coming-Channel The Spirits (jazz)
No this isn’t the BRIT Award, it is the Mercury Prize and it is made to be current and underground; nothing more and nothing less. And the winner is Skepta with ‘Konnichiwa‘. Between rap and electronic, grime and lyrics about surviving in the streets, gangs and his struggle not to compromise with the system.
Eleftheria Gesou