Alt-J win Mercury Prize 2012
Alt-J were crowned winners of this year’s Mercury Prize at a ceremony in London last night.
The bookies’ favourites before the event, the fourpiece were awarded the accolade for their debut album An Awesome Wave, beating the likes of Jessie Ware and Richard Hawley.
Simon Frith, the chair of Mercury judges, explained the panel’s decision:
“Alt-J’s ‘An Awesome Wave’ combines unexpected shards of sound with mesmerising rhythms, compelling melodies and intriguing songs. A tantalising and delightful album.”
The Mercury Prize was set up in 1992 to celebrate the best album of the year made by a British artist, with Primal Scream – Screamadelica winning the first year’s award.
Last year saw PJ Harvey win her second Mercury Prize for Let England Shake.
The shortlist in full was as follows:
Alt-J
Ben Howard
Django Django
Field Music
Jessie Ware
Lianne La Havas
The Maccabees
Michael Kiwanuka
Plan B
Richard Hawley
Roller Trio,
Sam Lee
Check out Best Fit’s own alternative Mercury list here.
- Dustin Wong's new record on Hausu Mountain pays tribute to his late grandmother
- Tropical Fu*k Storm sign to Fire Records and share new single, "Goon Show"
- House of Protection announce Jordan Fish-produced EP, Outrun You All
- Scrounge celebrate trans and queer communities on new single, "UTG"
- Avalon Emerson signs to Dead Oceans and announces Perpetual Emotion Machine
- Oslo Twins share new single, "I Wake Up Slowly"
- Rosalía is set to join the cast of Euphoria for its third season
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