FEATURE:
Early Forecast
IN THIS PHOTO: Michael Kiwanuka
Predicting the Hyundai Mercury Prize 2020 Runners and Riders
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IT might seem a bit premature…
IN THIS PHOTO: Dave won the Mercury Prize for PSYCHODRAMA in 2019/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Image
to start forecasting the shortlist for this year’s Hyundai Mercury Prize, but I am looking forward to hearing which artists have made the cut. Before I continue, here is some information about this year’s event:
“We, along with BBC Music, the Prize’s broadcast partner, believe that it is important in the current crisis to continue to showcase and celebrate the achievements of British & Irish artists and musicians.
The Shortlist of 12 Hyundai Mercury Prize Albums of the Year will be revealed on Thursday 23 July.
The overall winner of the 2020 Hyundai Mercury Prize will be announced on Thursday 10 September at the Awards Show, which is being held at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith. The event will celebrate the twelve shortlisted artists and their albums, with BBC Music providing live television and radio coverage of the event.
Hyundai Motor, the Mercury Prize’s title partner, will be celebrating the shortlisted artists and continuing to support innovations in British & Irish music”.
I hope that everything does go ahead as planned because, although gigs have been cancelled and a lot of musicians have had to stream from home, there is the hope that the Mercury Prize will go ahead. So long as things continue as they are, it can take place – though it may have to be socially distanced and take on a different feel this year. It has been a brilliant past year for music from the U.K. and E.I.R.E.
I have been thinking about the albums that are likely to feature when the shortlist is announced on 23rd July. Though there is a couple of months to go, artists who want to be considered had to get their nominations in last week. I have looked ahead at albums yet to be released and, with a few reviews sprinkled here and there, I will make some predictions. Although I will mention thirty artists/albums, I will start off with the albums that I feel are the favourites. In terms of ones to beat, I think Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia, Michael Kiwanuka’s KIWANUKA and Laura Marling’s Song for Our Daughter will be favourites. KIWANUKA was released on 1st November, 2019, and it is an album that is more than worthy of inclusion. This is what NME wrote when they reviewed the album:
“Where ‘Love & Hate’ was a tentative step forward into identity politics, ‘Kiwanuka’ is a daring leap of self-affirmation. It’s Kiwanuka at his most vulnerable and exposed, as he unpacks the causes of his identity crisis and ultimately finds catharsis by holding a candid mirror up to a world that still relentlessly maligns and mistreats its minorities. “No need to blame myself,” he emotively sings on rebellious opener ‘You Ain’t The Problem’: for the first time in his career, Kiwanuka seems to have something that resembles peace as he navigates personal doubts via political observation. His technique is similar to that of poets Jackie Kay and Lemn Sissay; we see prejudice through Kiwanuka’s eyes. The fact it’s taken him so long to release a self-titled album suddenly starts to make sense: his plea of “Help me carry on” on ‘I’ve Been Dazed’ is gut-wrenching to hear”.
Although the Mercury Prize has been accused of bias towards London artists, I feel this year will be a broader one – even though Kiwanuka resides in North London. Laura Marling and Dua Lipa are sure to be on the Mercury shortlist. Marling has been nominated before – for her 2008 debut, Alas, I Cannot Swim, and 2013’s Once I Was an Eagle -, and I think Song for Our Daughter is one of the best albums of the past year. It is always hard to make predictions regarding the shortlist, as each year throws up surprises and, even if you think you know which album will win, there is a twist. Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia is a brilliant album, and she released it early whilst in lockdown; it gave fans a treat and, with it, resounded with critics. It is a bold and brilliant album full of superb cuts, and I think it will be among the shortlisted artists. Although the past few years have seen other genres take home the award, I reckon Pop has been overlooked and, with Future Nostalgia, here is an album that cannot be ignored! I think Nadine Shah should have won the prize in 2018 with Holiday Destination – Wolf Alice won for Visions of a Life -, but I predict the forthcoming Kitchen Sink is a hot favourite. Though the album is not out until 26th June, I feel the album is shaping up to one of this year’s very best. Singles like Ladies For Babies (Goats For Love) are among her best work and, to be fair, it would be nice to see an artist from the North (Shah was born in Whitburn, Tyne and Wear) win the Mercury. Though I am not picking an outright winner, I do think Kitchen Sink deserves to be in the mix.
IN THIS PHOTO: Nadine Shah/PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Clement Photography
In terms of the remainder of the top-ten, there are some masterful albums that just have to be included in the Mercury shortlist! FKA twigs’ MAGDALENE is one of 2019’s finest albums (released back in November), and it scored huge reviews. Here is what AllMusic wrote:
“On her early EPs and LP1, FKA twigs' Tahliah Barnett expressed the intersections of love, pain, fragility and strength with remarkable eloquence. While making Magdalene, she embodied them. Not only did she endure the end of a long-term relationship, she had surgery to remove six large uterine fibroids (colorfully described by her as a "fruit bowl of pain"). These events became the heart of her second album, which uses the duality of Mary Magdalene as a lens for its wounded yet resilient feminine energy. An herbalist and confidante of Jesus portrayed as a prostitute in the Bible, Mary Magdalene's gifts were overshadowed by her ties to a great man. Barnett digs into and subverts this relationship on Magdalene, most prominently on "Holy Terrain," a dramatic, erotic duet with Future. While she wonders if she'll ever find a man who can support her the way she's supported men in her past over its trap beats, warping metallic tones, and Bulgarian folk chants, the way she's assisted on the track by A-list co-producers like Skrillex and Jack Antonoff -- as well as by Future's repentant bars -- is a small step in the right direction. On "Mary Magdalene," she draws on both sides of her archetype, bridging women's sensual and healing powers with a heroic dose of independence”
I would be very surprised if MAGDALENE was ignored, as it is a stunning achievement. Mystery Jets put out A Billion Heartbeats in April, and it is, in my view, the best album so far from the London band. It is their most ambitious, confidence and expansive record, and I feel it deserves a Mercury nomination. J Hus’s Big Conspiracy is another terrific album and, although my predictions so far include a lot of London acts, it would be a shame if an album as celebrated and wonderful as Big Conspiracy was overlooked. Richard Dawson’s 2020 is an album a lot of people might not have heard of but is a magnificent record. This is how 2020 is described on Richard Dawson’s Bandcamp page:
“2020 is the sixth solo album from Richard Dawson, the black-humoured bard of Newcastle. The album is an utterly contemporary state-of-the-nation study that uncovers a tumultuous and bleak time. Here is an island country in a state of flux; a society on the edge of mental meltdown”.
What about the last two albums in a theorised top-ten? I think Charli XCV’s how I’m feeling now is another accomplished and hugely arresting Pop album – like Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia – that sort of takes the breath and stays with you long after you have heard it. Beatrice Dillon’s Workaround was released in February and, similar to Richard Dawson’s 2020, it is an album few people will instantly recognise. It received a lot of praise; this is how the album is described on her Bandcamp page:
“‘Workaround’ is the lucidly playful and ambitious solo debut album by rhythm-obsessive musician and DJ, Beatrice Dillon for PAN. It combines her love of UK club music’s syncopated suss and Afro-Caribbean influences with a gamely experimental approach to modern composition and stylistic fusion, using inventive sampling and luminous mixing techniques adapted from modern pop to express fresh ideas about groove-driven music and perpetuate its form with timeless, future-proofed clarity”.
There are many other British and Irish albums from the past year that have made a big impact and are worthy of consideration by the Mercury panel. Albums that will definitely be on the minds of many include The Murder Capital’s When I Have Fears. Although it was released in August, I think it is still fresh in the minds of many. The Dublin five-piece have been compared to the likes Joy Division to IDLES, but their sound is very much their own; they are one of the finest bands on the scene at the moment. When I Have Fears is their debut, and it would be great to see the album on the shortlist. Whilst some might find it unlikely, I would not be shocked if Harry Styles’ Fine Line was considered too. It is another strong Pop album and, although it is more commercial than others I have mentioned, the Mercury Prize has never been averse to more mainstream Pop – Ed Sheeran’s ÷ was shortlisted in 2017. The Big Moon’s Walking Like We Do is a terrific album, and I think the London quartet are in with a shot. Lanterns on the Lakes delivered the tremendous Spook the Herd in February. This is what The Line of Best Fit wrote when they reviewed the album:
“Even in the quietest moments on Beings, it felt as if there was always something ringing out, from Angela Chan’s violin to Wilde’s effect-laden vocals. There were no gaps left unfilled, as if there was anxiousness on the band’s part about giving the sound too much room to breathe, tomeander.
That’s dissipated on Spook the Herd, and they sound so much freer as a result; if there’s a throughline, it’s Ol Ketteringham's drumming, which has always had a cascading, jazzy feel to it but this time out, he anchors the group in a way he hasn't previously.
The overarching effect is one of the calm during the storm, as if the realisation of some of the band’s worst fears has cleared their heads, sharpened their senses, and compelled them to look for the light breaking through the clouds, however dim. The results are musically elegant, emotionally eloquent, and absolutely vital”.
The 1975’s Notes on a Conditional Form arrived on 24th April and, whilst it received a mix of very positive and slightly mixed reviews, I would not bet against the band being nominated for a second year running – they were nominated for A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships last year; Dave won for PSYCHODRAMA. Whoever is in the shortlist this year, it will be one of the most varied and close-run lists for many years. So much tremendous music has arrived since last year’s Mercury Prize, so expect July’s shortlist to be full of gold. There are other albums that have impressed me that could be in with a shout of receiving a nomination. This all a bit of fun and speculation and, whilst it is a way off, I think this year’s Mercury Prize will be an important one. I hope the event can be held and, if so, I feel more people will be tuned in than ever before. I will come to albums that, whilst they might not be in the eventual shortlist, are still worthy of selection.
IN THIS PHOTO: The 1975
A few other albums that I feel are in with a decent chance of being nominated are Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs’ Viscerals, Four Tet’s Sixteen Oceans and Tim Burgess’ I Love the New Sky. Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs hail from Newcastle Upon Tyne, and they are one of the most popular and impressive new bands coming through. I wanted to select this passage from a Music OMH review that shows how the band have evolved since their earliest days:
“Still, they have evolved with each of their albums; their songs have become faster and tighter. Their 2017 debut, Feed The Rats, consisted of two 15-minute tracks that sandwiched between them a single piece of lean meat. 2018’s King Of Cowards managed twice as many tracks in a similar run time but maintained a hazy, stoned vibe; more weight was provided in the form of an aromatic cloud of smoke that you had to wade through in order to get to the riffs”
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs definitely deserve a Mercury nod, and it would be great to see an act from the North East like Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs or Nadine Shah win. I think Tim Burgess’ I Love the New Sky will be in the mind of the Mercury panel/judges, and the universally positive reviews the album has accrued means it is another album that one should not discount when it comes to the Mercury Prize. Porridge Radio and Georgia are two fairly new British acts. Porridge Radio are a superb band, and their Every Bad album gained a lot of love when it came out in March. Led by Dana Margolin, the fantastically instant-yet-nuanced songs signal them out as a band to watch closely. Every Bad is their debut album and, although they have been putting out music for a few years now, I think this year is one that has truly put them on the map. Similarly, Georgia (Georgia Barnes) is not brand-new, but her second album, Seeking Thrills, is her finest work. She co-wrote all twelve tracks on the album, and I would love to see her get a Mercury nomination.
There are albums that, whilst impressive and worthy, are probably a little less likely to get onto the shortlist – though one can never make concrete predictions, as the Mercury Prize is always unpredictable! Every year, you find an album on the shortlist that is less conventional than most. Whether you want to call the albums outsiders or experimental, it is refreshing to find these usually smaller artists recognised for their work. Shabaka and The Ancestors is fronted by London saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, and the We Are Sent Here by History album is terrific. The Guardian and many others gave it a positive review, but it is a record that was not as covered and talked-about as many others I have mentioned in this feature. Glass Animals’ Dreamland, Dream Wife’s forthcoming album, So When You Gonna…, and Ultraista’s Sister are definitely albums to keep an eye out when we get closer to July. Although Dream Wife’s new album is not out until 3rd July, their eponymous debut of 2018 was not nominated for a Mercury Prize, and I think that was an oversight! They are an incredible live band, and one can learn more about their upcoming album through their Bandcamp page:
“Dream Wife (Alice Go, Bella Podpadec and Rakel Mjöll) are back with their second album and just like the title suggests, this is a record brimming with adrenaline and playful excitement (“It’s an invitation, a challenge, a call to action,” says Rakel). From the jagged, CSS-like guitar of “So When You Gonna…” to the hooky brightness of album opener “Sports!” and the whip-smart lyrical asides of “Validation”, these are moreish, pumped up, sparkling tracks that feel like newer, dynamic evolutions of debut standouts, like “F.U.U.” and “Hey Heartbreaker.”
But they often lean into sweeter, softer, more emotional moments too. “Temporary” and “After the Rain” in particular – songs about miscarriage and abortion, respectively – are complicated, painful stories told through a soft and hopeful lens. These were difficult subjects to write about, but Dream Wife think it’s important to bring these conversations into the public sphere, to refuse to brush things under the rug, to empower and support others in the process”.
Bombay Bicycle Club put out Everything Else Has Gone Wrong in January, and I wonder whether it will be one of those albums that sort of surprises people and gets onto the shortlist. Although it received mainly positive reviews, I still think it is an outside bet. Two of my favourite albums from this year have come from Cornershop and Baxter Dury. Cornershop’s England Is a Garden is their ninth studio album, and it is amazing to see how consistent the band are - considering their debut arrived in 1994! I love how much detail there is in their music, and I think their latest album is one of their most fully-realised and memorable. Baxter Dury’s The Night Chancer is a very different beast, yet it is filled with incredible characters, lyrics and performances. Dury’s sixth studio album gained him some of the best reviews of his career. This is what Gigwise wrote in their review:
“A man of many faces, Dury is able to shrug on the sheep’s clothing of any number of modern fiends. ‘Slumlord’ drags its way through a mire of underworld slime, ‘Saliva Hog’ grovels for attention and ‘Sleep People’ slurs about the bittersweet life of being a fashion blogger. Whether hammy, Disney villain or sincere, Dury’s performance is eminently believable - and enjoyable - in each.
As ever, the female vocals that feature throughout Dury’s tunes serve to counteract his own coarse drawl. The effect is magnificent, drawing out the landscape in which Dury operates and colouring it in. Slinky bass, soaring orchestra and trilling synths also serve to lift the mood, adding stage dressing, hair and make-up, and mise-en-scene to Dury’s acting masterclass.
The Night Chancers presents a storyboard of modern-day villains, but does not smirk or gloat at them. It merely watches and assimilates. Alongside its pleasing soundtrack of French pop, electronica and disco, Baxter Dury has settled on a unique formula that works”.
Three more albums are in my thoughts; ones that might well be in with a shout come July. Again, Jessie Ware has not released her latest studio album. What’s Your Pleasure is out on 19th June, and I think Ware is producing her best work to date right now. Even though the album is not out in the world, the fact we have heard quite a few tracks from it - Adore You, Mirage (Don’t Stop), Spotlight, Ooh La La, and Save a Kiss – means that many of us are familiar with her new sound and are eagerly awaiting an album. Pet Shop Boys are among the old guard, but they are one of these bands/duos that continue to innovate and surprise. Hotspot is a reliably packed and stunning album from Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, and I think it is strong enough to be a consideration for a Mercury shortlist place. This is AllMusic’s take on Hotspot:
“Pet Shop Boys resume their exceptional late-period run with Hotspot, their third in a series of high quality collaborations with producer/engineer Stuart Price. Recorded at Berlin's legendary Hansa Studios, the acclaimed duo's 14th album finds them firmly in their element, delivering crisp electro-pop invocations, wry dance bangers, and melodic gems both sunny and stormy. Still more or less in the self-described "electronic purist" mode of 2013's Electric and 2016's Super, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe make a few allowances here, particularly on the melancholic standout, "Burning the Heather," which features some crafty psych-inspired guitar work from Suede guitarist Bernard Butler. Opening volley "Will-O-the-Wisp" is all hard synth bite and rippling tension, possessing a specific kind of dark energy that few acts can summon so well, let alone after nearly four decades together.
Its intensity is offset by brighter dance cuts like the wry "Monkey Business" and the buoyant "Happy People" with its infectious chorus threaded with Tennant's distinctive spoken-word rhymes. Lightly cloaked political stabs pop up here and there like on "Dreamland," a collaboration with Years and Years' Olly Alexander, that imagines a borderless world free of Brexit fears and immigration policies. The clever melodic shifts that are one of Pet Shop Boys' hallmarks remain in evidence across Hotspot, giving songs like the tender "Only the Dark" a dreamy sense of uplift. Through it all, Tennant and Lowe feel as confident and progressive as ever, honoring their signature sound while continuing to push it into the future”.
Shopping are a Post-Punk band and their fourth album, All or Nothing, ranks alongside the best of this year so far. The band have pushed on and expanded since 2018’s The Official Body; All or Northing mixes in a range of genres. Often, when a band evolve and try something new, it can result in something patchy and less than what came before. In the case of Shopping, I think they are hitting a peak, and it would be nice to see that rewarded with a Mercury nod! We have to wait until 23rd July to see which twelve albums make the shortlist. I am pretty sure that most of the twelve have been covered in this feature, and I will be interested to see the albums rank alongside one another. Whilst I want Nadine Shah’s Kitchen Sink to win the Mercury, it has been such a strong last year for British and Irish music, so the competition will be hot! In a year that has been tough for the music industry, the 2020 Hyundai Mercury Prize is something we can…
IN THIS PHOTO: Shopping
ALL look forward to.