I love Dead Albatross season. Living with a curated list of albums surrounded by a constant stream of radio and commentary while you decide which one’s are your top releases of the year is an absolute pleasure, mostly due to the quality of contributors.
From the brain of Paul Ackroyd, what started as an alternate Mercury Prize has morphed in to it’s own being with Ela Orleans scooping the prize in 2013, Ibibio Sound Machine in 2014 and Annabel (lee) last year.
The pool continues to grow as contributors do, with people nominating their favourite LPs released from UK and IRE year round, regardless of format, reissue or compilation status. From that shortist was created for the panel to go through, and select a top seven from. The votes are tallied and a dead albatross awarded to the winner.
For those that slept you can check this year’s shortlist here: http://www.deadalbatross.com/2016/09/meet-shortlist.html
It all came to ahead with a countdown radio show broadcast last Thursday on Reel Rebels with all shortlisted albums featuring ending in a countdown of the Top 5 and a winner.
Show can be streamed underneath, with the track list underneath. Don’t keep scrolling if you still fancy a surprise.
via The Dead Albatross Music Prize
Massive congratulations to Family Atlantica for winning this year’s Dead Albatross Music Prize. Matthew Collings finished in second place with his stunning Requiem For Edward Snowden album; Circles of Upper and Lower Hell by Ela Orleans finished third; Gonzo’s Dies Irae came fourth; whilst Onoe Caponoe finished fifth with Spells From The Cyclops.
Tracklist for the Dead Albatross Show
The Bug – Iceman featuring Riko Dan
Chimpo – Ram Dance Man ft. Trigga and Fox
Gaika – 3D
Foetus – Today I Started Slogging Again
The Work – I Hate America
Ela Orleans – [interview]
Gonzo – Samboia Kanguik (excerpt)/Ses (excerpt)
Palehorse – Terrifying Japanese Coldplay Documentary
Family Atlantica – El Negrero (Slave Ship)
The Comet Is Coming – Space Carnival
Girl Band – Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage
The World – It Takes 2
Yeah You – A Must Have
The Modern Institute – From Eye To Eye
Playgroup – Subway
Embla Quickbeam & Graham Dunning – Floating Worlds
Matthew Collings – [interview]
Peter Brotzmann/Heather Leigh – Ears Are Filled With Wonder (excerpt)
Floating Points – Kuiper (excerpt)
Djrum – Space Race Pt 1 & 2
The Dead Albatross Award 2016 Top 5
5. Onoe Caponoe – Vapours In Abyss
4. Gonzo – Dies (excerpt)
3. Ela Orleans – Beatrice
2. Matthew Collings – Collect It All
1. Family Atlantica – Cosmic Unity feat Marshall Allen