The nominees for this year's Mercury Prize were announced this morning on BBC Radio 6 Music. The prestigious annual award for an album released in the U.K. and Ireland was won last year by experimental Scottish trio Young Fathers; before that, it was James Blake.
This time around, the most notable nomination is legendary Warp producer Aphex Twin, whose sixth album Syro—released in 2014 after a 13 year hiatus—has finally gained him recognition from the Mercury panel. Aphex Twin released his first album in 1992, the same year the Mercury Prize launched; but Syro becomes the first of his records to be nominated.
Also hoping to win the prize this year are Jamie xx and Florence + The Machine. See the full list below, and read Jamie xx's thoughts on why dance music is so important.
Mercury Prize 2015 nominees:
Aphex Twin – Syro
Wolf Alice – My Love Is Cool
Róisín Murphy – Hairless Toys
C Duncan – Architect
Eska – Eska
Florence + the Machine – How Big How Blue How Beautiful
Ghostpoet – Shedding Skin
Benjamin Clementine – At Least For Now
Jamie xx – In Colour
SOAK – Before We Forgot How To Dream
Gaz Coombes – Matador
Slaves – Are You Satisfied
