The Independent Music Awards has revealed its first nominees, marking the event’s 15 year anniversary of celebrating the achievements of the UK’s independent music community.
This year’s milestone edition sees double nominations for South London jazz innovators Ezra Collective (Partisan) widely recognised for steering the genre into the mainstream, genre-smashing electronic duo Fcukers (Technicolour), West London songwriter Hope Tala (PMR), and French-Senegalese experimental artist anaiis (5dB).
More big names among the shortlists include Fontaines D.C. (XL) following one of the band’s most sophisticated albums in ‘Romance’, folk experimentalists Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar), and Wetleg (Domino) for overcoming the “difficult second album” cliche. Others include the soul-stirring Maverick Sabre (FAMM), self-defined future-ghetto-funk star Moonchild Sanelly (Transgressive), and the voice behind countless era-defining club hits, Aluna (Mad Decent / Because).
Returning to London’s Roundhouse, the Awards are known for earmarking future stars well ahead of mainstream acclaim. They recognise a mix of cultural impact and commercial success, a combination that epitomises the independent sector and often defies the size of labels or teams behind releases. The full shortlists are outlined below.
’Best Independent Album’ Award category contenders include Bon Iver’s ‘Sable, Fable’, Ezra Collective’s ‘Dance, No One’s Watching’, Fontaines D.C.’s ‘Romance’, Hope Tala’s ‘Hope Handwritten’ and John Glacier’s ‘Like A Ribbon’ (Young), alongside Maverick Sabre’s ‘Burn The Right Things Down’ and Moonchild Sanelly’s ‘Full Moon’. Topping off the shortlist are Nala Sinephro’s ‘Endlessness’++ (Warp), Oklou’s ‘Choke Enough’ (Oklou / True Panther) and TAAHLIA’s ‘Gramayre’ (untitled (recs)).
Seeing first time nominations, anaiis and Grupo Cosmo’s ‘B.P.E’ (5dB) are in the running for ‘Best Independent Track’ along with Ezra Collective and Yazmin Lacey for ‘God Gave Me Feet For Dancing’ and JIALING’s ‘Freaky Horns’ (Clasico). Jim Legxacy’s ‘father’ (XL) also gets a nod, along with Jorja Smith and Maverick Sabre’s ‘Loving You’ (FAMM) and Miso Extra and Metronomy’s ‘Good Kisses’ (Transgressive). Also in the running is Orla Gartland’s ‘Mine’ (The Orchard), Wet Leg’s ‘Catch These Fists’, Wunderhorse with ‘The Rope’ (Communion), and Yannis & The Yaw and Tony Allen with ‘Rain Can’t Reach Us’ (Transgressive).
The ‘UK Independent Breakthrough’ shortlist includes Glaswegian composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist corto.alto (Ninja Tune & New Soil) and South-London’s genre-blending post-punks Fat Dog (Domino). Glass Beams (Ninja Tune), the mask-adorned project of Indian-Australian multi-instrumentalist and producer Rajan Silva, also received a nod, alongside British-Jamaican R&B singer-songwriter Hope Tala and California-born hard techno DJ Sara Landry (Hekate).
The ‘Best Independent EP/Mixtape’ category once again reflects growing appreciation for these formats, with nominations for Fcukers with ‘Baggy$$’ and MRCY with VOLUME 1 (Dead Oceans), plus nods for soul singer Nectar Woode’s ‘Head Above Water’ (Communion), Shygirl’s explosive ‘Club Shy Room 2’ (Because) and experimental rapper Zino Vinci’s genre-bending ‘The Late Bloomer’ (Bawne London / Believe).
This year’s ‘One To Watch’ shortlist is as exciting as ever, featuring French-Senegalese singer-songwriter anaiis tipped alongside neo-soul and jazz artist BINA (TLD) and rising pop artist Chloe Qisha (VLF Records / Believe). Rounding off this year’s nominations are Brixton rapper Cristale (Believe) and NYC duo Fcukers.
The ‘Best Independent Remix’ category also returns to showcase the art of adaptation, with nominations going to Paul Woolford’s remix of Aluna’s ‘Heatstroke’ (Mad Decent / Because), TATYANA’s mashup of Home Counties’ ‘Uptight’ (Submarine Cat Records) and Jorig Kuning Bicton Barns’ take on Koreless’ ‘Seven’ (Young). Boy Harsher’s remix of Nilufer Yanya’s ‘Just A Western’ (Ninja Tune) is also in the running, as well as D’Monk’s remix of Rosie Lowe’s ‘Gratitudes’ (Blue Flowers).
Following its introduction at last year’s Awards, the ‘Best Independent Record Store’ category will this year be nominated by the public, allowing fans to have their say on the importance of these cultural hubs. Entries can be submitted here.
The ‘Best Live Performer’ category will once again invite the public to vote for their favourites – open here. Nominations for other categories including ‘Best Independent Label’, ‘Best Boutique Label’, ‘Music Entrepreneur of the Year’ and ‘Best Creative Campaign’ will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Awards have long played a key role in amplifying future stars, with previous winners Adele, Arlo Parks, Dave, Ezra Collective, FKA Twigs, IDLES, Little Simz, RAYE and Stormzy, all having gone on to receive widespread acclaim, including accolades at the Ivors, Mercurys, MOBOs, BRITs or GRAMMYs.
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