Brussels, 29th January 2015
With 2014 an exceptional year for independent music, IMPALA has now revealed its shortlist of nominees for the fifth edition of the IMPALA Album of the Year Award.
This award is a European Mercury-style prize showcasing the musical talent and diversity of releases by European independent labels.
Voting is currently taking place on the 23-album shortlist to decide who will succeed Spanish b and Guadalupe Plata. The best album will be selected by a jury of IMPALA Board members, with the winner announced mid-February.
The nominated albums are listed in alphabetical order by artist/name of the album/record label:
1. ALT-J This Is All Yours (Infectious Records)
2. APHEX TWIN Syro (Warp)
3. BATIDA Dois (Soundway Records)
4. BROKEN TWIN May (ANTI/Epitaph)
5. CARIBOU Our Love (City Slang)
6. DANS DANS 3 (Unday Records)
7. THE DØ Shake Shook Shaken (Wagram Music)
8. EMIS KILLA Mercurio (Carosello Records)
9. FAI BABA Savage Dreamer (A Tree In A Field Records/Irascible)
10. FKA TWIGS LP1 (Young Turks)
11. FRANKIE CHAVEZ Heart And Spine (Search Records)
12. HIGHASAKITE Silent Treatment (Propeller Recordings)
13. ICEAGE Plowing Into The Field of Love (Escho)
14. JENNIE ABRAHAMSON Gemini Gemini (How Sweet The Sound)
15. NINA ROMIC Stablo (Aquarius Records)
16. THE NOTWIST Close To The Glass (City Slang)
17. OCHO MACHO De Puta Madre (CLS)
18. PEPE WILLBERG Pepe & Saimaa (KHY Suomen Musiikki)
19. SLEAFORD MODS Divide And Exit (Harbinger Sound)
20. TREMENDA TREMENTINA Sangre Pop (Everlasting Records)
21. TWIN ATLANTIC Great Divide (Red Bull Records)
22. WITHIN TEMPTATION Hydra (BMG)
23. YOUNG FATHERS Dead (Big Dada/Anticon)
Helen Smith, Executive Chair, IMPALA commented: “We once again have a very strong set of nominees this year, many of whom were acclaimed by the music press throughout 2014. It’s now up to the jury to decide which one of these albums is the most exceptional of 2014.”
Sixteen countries are represented among the 23 nominees. The shortlist includes three artists previously nominated for this award: Alt-J, IceAge and Ocho Macho, while label City Slang has two nominees – The Notwist and Caribou.
A full album playlist – IMPALA Album of the Year Award nominees (albums) – as well as a short play list – IMPALA Album of the Year Award nominees (singles) – are available on Spotify to allow you to judge by yourself in advance of the winner’s announcement.
About the Independent Album of the Year Award
The “European Independent Album of The Year” award was launched in 2011, together with the annual “Outst anding Contribution to European Music” award, to mark the 10th anniversary of IMPALA.
This award showcases the breadth and diversity of independent talent across Europe. The winner is selected on the basis of completely open criteria from a shortlist compiling national and non-national album nominations from territories across Europe put forward for their musical, artistic or other exceptional quality. Nominated albums were required to have been released on a European independent label between January and December 2014. Previous winners of the Award are Efterklang, Adele, The xx and Guadalupe Plata.
About IMPALA
IMPALA was established in April 2000 to represent independent music companies. 99% of Europe’s music companies are SMEs. Known as the “independents”, they are world leaders in terms of innovation and discovering new music and artists – they produce more than 80% of all new releases. SME’s also produce 80% of Europe’s jobs. IMPALA has its own award schemes to help promote cultural diversity and new talent and highlight the artistic contribution of independent music. IMPALA award winning artists include Modeselektor, Caro Emerald, Adele, M83, Mogwai, Vitalic, Melanie De Biasio, Soap & Skin, Arctic Monkeys and Andrea Bocelli.
