THE 10 contenders for the Scottish Album of the Year Award have been announced, in what is perhaps the most diverse shortlist yet since the national music award began in 2012.
Moving from its usual spring slot to these more autumnal weeks, the award sees each of the 10 shortlisted artists receiving £1000 with the winner (announced on September 6) being awarded a career-changing £20,000. Nine of the albums were chosen from a longlist by a panel of judges, including Strawberry Switchblade’s Rose McDowall, filmmaker Lynne Ramsay and Stephen Allen, curator of the Rip It Up exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland.
As is traditional, one of the albums was chosen by music fans, with Franz Ferdinand’s Always Ascending gaining the biggest share of what was a record-breaking public vote for the award.
Spanning hip hop to folk with a few wild diversions in between, the 10 records were announced at a special BBC Radio Scotland Quay Session where new material was previewed by last year’s winners Sacred Paws alongside performances from Lomond Campbell and post punk heroes The Skids. The nominees are:
BABE – Kiss & Tell
The Glasgow gang’s second album melds sophisticated electro-pop, dreamy effects and the blissful, falsetto-tinged melodies of frontman Gerard Black.
Best Girl Athlete – Best Girl Athlete
Featuring string arrangements by Modern Studies’ Pete Harvey, Katie Buchan’s second album was largely written before she turned 18.
Franz Ferdinand – Always Ascending
Producer Philippe Zdar (Cassius, Phoenix, Beastie Boys) and new member Julian Corrie aka Miaoux Miaoux help the reconfigured Franz create some top-class space disco.
Golden Teacher – No Luscious Life
This debut album from the Glasgow party band is a freak-out of funk, dub and Afrobeat.
Karine Polwart With Pippa Murphy – A Pocket Of Wind Resistance
The studio adaptation of Polwart’s award-winning theatre show mixes spoken-word, music and field recordings.
Kobi Onyame – Gold
Grime, r’n’b, hip hop and the sounds of his Ghanaian homeland feature on the Glasgow-based musician’s debut album.
Mogwai – Every Country’s Sun
The titans’ ninth studio album saw them reunited with producer Dave Fridmann for the first time since 2001’s acclaimed Rock Action LP.
Out Lines – Conflats
Kathryn Joseph, Marcus Mackay and The Twilight Sad’s James Graham join forces for a stunning record based on conversations with visitors to Glasgow’s Platform.
Siobhan Wilson – There Are No Saints
Sparse and beautiful collection from the angel-voiced Wilson, recorded by Catholic Action’s Chris McCrory in Bishopton.
Young Fathers – Cocoa Sugar
The coolest trio in Scotland won 2014’s SAY Award with their Tape Two EP but that doesn’t mean this excellent third album isn’t in with a chance.
All 10 artists will be presented with a commemorative award created by the winner of the SAY 2018 design commission at Paisley Town Hall on September 6.
Paul Thomson of Franz Ferdinand said: “This year has been a particularly good one for music coming out of Scotland and the SAY Award longlist and shortlist reflects that. We’re delighted to be up there with the hard hitters.”
You can listen to each album by visiting sayaward.com
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