Aphex Twin Has Been Nominated for the UK’s Prestigious Mercury Prize

Florence + the Machine, Wolf Alice and Aphex Twin are among those in contention for the prize this year. “I’m feeling very surprised – thank you very much!” he told BBC 6 Music.

Benjamin Clementine, who has been called “the male Nina Simone” sings about his experiences of homelessness, while Florence + The Machine confronts her personal demons on what is (for her) a subtle, restrained record.

Justin Young of The Vaccines has criticised the Mercury Prize as only appealing to the “cafetiere drinking, Kentish Town-dwelling 6 Music listener”.

London-based singer and poet Benjamin Clementine was the eighth name to be announced, after scoring his first nomination on the list with his debut album, At Least For Now.

Glaswegian composer Chris Duncan released his debut album of dreampop in July, which was recorded entirely in his bedroom.

“It was such a big thing for The xx before when we got nominated, and it felt very surreal that first time”, said the 26-year-old singer. “I didn’t expect anything because it’s my first album, but I’ve had really nice reviews from different journalists and people seem to be listening to my music in so many different countries”. “The tension in room… obviously it was awesome to win”. Electronic diva and queen of all things cool, Roisín Murphy, has been shortlisted for her critically received album Hairless Toys while teenage Derry singer SOAK also received a nod for her debut album Before We Forgot How to Dream.

British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Eska spent five years writing and recording her debut album of folk-soul-jazz.

Coombes said: “It’s insane”.

C Duncan could potentially join previous a list Scottish winners, which includes Primal Scream for their seminal release Screamadelica in 1992, Glasgow native’s Franz Ferdinand for their eponymous debut in 2004 and Edinburgh trio Young Fathers – who were championed past year for their debut album Dead.

However, according to The Independent, the albums left off the shortlist are even more surprising: Blur’s reunion album The Magic Whip did not make the Mercury cut, nor did Laura Marling’s Short Movie, which ends a streak of three straight Mercury-nominated albums for the singer.

The awards ceremony, to be hosted by BBC Radio DJ Lauren Laverne, will be held at the Radio Theatre at Broadcasting House in London on November 20th.