Bringing us safely into our Top 20, we have the Mercury Prize nominated, Everything Is Recorded By Richard Russell by Everything Is Recorded.

I had this pegged as a solid contender for the top spot in this year's Mercury shortlist and given the sheer calibre and number of contributors on this record, it's extremely easy to see why. The concept for the album was created by head of XL Recordings and music industry champion - Richard Russell. After working with, signing and influencing some of the biggest names we have in music today, from Adele to Thom Yorke, Richard has put together a team of newer artists to forge this gem of a record.

Richard's experiences with Guillain-Barré Syndrome come through here-and-there in nuanced ways throughout the album, at one point sampling the phrase "There are moments in our lives where we feel completely alone". As sombre as the thought is, ultimately the album leaves the listener feeling hopeful. However, the album did fall short of my original expectations - with the roster being what it was and with Richard Russell at the helm, this had the potential to be ten times better. It's a safe take on the album we could have had, and so that hopefulness stretches towards any new material coming from Everything Is Recorded in future.  

Golden nuggets for me at the moment are "She Said (feat. Obongjayar & Kamasi Washington)", "Show Love (feat. Syd & Sampha)", "Be My Friend (feat. Infinite)", and "Everything Is Recorded (feat. Sampha & Owen Pallett)". Giggs' feature makes me smile every time I listen but essentially it was most of the tracks featuring Sampha that struck a chord. He's the key feature in this project for me and his touch on each of these tracks is considerably different from the last yet equally as memorable. Each of the collaborators add their own subtle touches and stamps on the record but the samples from past recording sessions and older soulful generations tie the album together very well.

Have a look at what album ushered us into the Top 20 last year here.

Young Fathers offer up the very tasty, genre-bending Cocoa Sugar for the number 26 spot.

I first came across the trio at a live show, I'd heard of them before but had never listened into their material. For anyone who's seen them live, you will know that it's almost impossible to see them perform and not be wow-ed. So much raw emotion and so much energy; they can stir any crowd just two songs in. I'd expected the same from their studio records and with White Men are Black Men Too I definitely got what I expected. Cocoa Sugar was a little more of a slow burner for me but once I got my head around the contrasting themes and influences I was fully invested.

Young Fathers have never been too concerned with filling an album with earworms or commercial singles, but they always have songs that you only have to have heard once to recognise it again in an instant. Before I'd listened to the record in full, I'd heard their single "In My View" a couple of times and hearing it again in passing quickly prompted me to check out the rest of the album. As well as having one of the most memorable album covers of 2018 with the confronting and contorted golliwog-esque figure on the front, they also had a few songs that stuck out in my music library. "Toy", "Holy Ghost", "Border Girl", and of course the lead single "In My View" were tracks that I consistently returned to after first listen.

I was surprised that this wasn't up for a Mercury Prize nomination this year. Their debut album Dead won the prize in 2014 and whilst this is a wholly different album, Cocoa Sugar was one of the most versatile and experimental records I've heard this year. Originality is definitely a judging criteria for Mercury and the trio are nothing if not original. Three albums deep and I still never truly know what I can expect from Young Fathers next. All I know that I'll probably be impressed, just as I have been with Cocoa Sugar.

Check out what album took the number 26 spot in 2017 here.

And September is upon us - as summer fades away slowly we get into the last quarter of the year with each of these albums to keep us company. I gave my opinions on last year's list and this year more than ever I'm split on the shortlist choices.

ARCTIC MONKEYS - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
Now I was more disappointed than shocked that this was amongst the list of nominees. Arctic Monkey's sixth studio album sounded more to me like Alex Turner (and friends)'s debut album. At several points the album felt lethargic in delivery. Lyrically there are some shining moments, however - perhaps partially on account of my high expectations - this album wasn't able to wow me in the way that I'd hope a Mercury Prize nominee to.

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING - A Fever Dream
THIS ALBUM! I am so over the moon that this has made the shortlist because this is one of the best bodies of work that they have put out since Man Alive and it deserves to be recognised as such. Quite a few of my favourite instrumental performances of last year happened on this album. One thing I will say is that I'm unsure as to whether it will top the list, having only made it to number 15 on my AOTY list last year.

EVERYTHING IS RECORDED - Everything Is Recorded By Richard Russell
This was a name that I had expected to see in the line up as soon as it was released. The calibre of artists featured on this project makes it impossible not to be impressed. The project spans a number of genres, emotions and styles and still manages to mesh them together seamlessly. Richard Russell and co did very well with this and after listening to their latest single "Carry Me" I couldn't be more excited for what might be next. This album is a very strong contender for the top spot.

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE - High As Hope
It's no secret the love and adoration I have in my heart for Florence Welch. What a blessing. And so it comes as no surprise to me that she has made the Mercury Prize shortlist. Now, whilst I don't believe High As Hope to be their best work, there is something exceptionally special and more importantly different here. I was wary of FATM falling into a rut and following a blueprint but smething has switched up ever so slightly here. Another album that has a solid shot at the top spot.

JORJA SMITH - Lost & Found
This is probably my "I wouldn't be surprised but I'd be very disappointed if this album won" this year. I have a lot of strong opinions surrounding this album but the overarching one for me is that this was released far too early. It felt rushed and felt like it was rammed down the public's throats in order to keep interest levels piqued whilst she's still a cash cow. I feel like regardless of how good her voice is - and it really, really is - there were some gaping holes in this album and I felt like she sold herself a bit short here unfortunately.

KING KRULE - The OOZ
The first time I listened to this album it was in the perfect conditions - a long and cold commute in London - and upon first listen I really enjoyed it. However, since then I haven't been in the mood to listen to it all the way through again even once. I know that once winter comes back in full force, it'll be a welcomed soundtrack to those colder nights. Although, I don't think that this is quite enough to win it the Prize. However, his ability to stay original and authentic will always give King Krule major points in my book.

LILY ALLEN - No Shame
Lily Allen back doing what she does best - being witty, ironic and at the same time melodically refreshing. The feature artists were what caught my attention initially as they were unexpected collaborations but they definitely complimented each other well. After her unlikely collaboration with Common years ago, I should have known better. My favourite tracks at the moment are "Higher", "Family Man", and "Apples". This might just be a wild card for me on the list of contenders. 

NADINE SHAH - Holiday Destination
It's been a long time since I heard Nadine Shah's name mentioned if I'm honest. When she first popped up on my radar it was as a unique, fresh, up-and-comer and shortly after I saw her featured on Ghostpoet's album Shedding Skin. Now after three years, she's back in my life and with a Mercury Prize nomination no less! Way to make an entrance. The album itself is perfect for right now - lyrically and sonically this is just what we need to hear. It's instrumentally unpredictable and interesting - Nadine does experimental very well. 

NOEL GALLAGHER'S HIGH FLYING BIRDS - Who Built The Moon?
Another name I hadn't heard a lot from musically in a while until this year. Listening to this album made me miss Kasabian at first if I'm honest. I love that instrumentally Noel has taken quite a few risks throughout and has really expanded his use of sound. The intro "Fort Knox" in particular had my head nodding throughout - there are lots layers to unpack. As a whole it's a very solid piece of work - particularly now that a large amount of Indie Rock tends to fall into one generic pit of rhythmic guitars.

NOVELIST - Novelist Guy
I didn't know too much about Novelist before this shortlist came around. Of course I'd seen his name littering the mainstream charts, however I'd never taken the time to do a deep dive. Knowing that he is a Grime artist, I was surprised at how experimental and unique his songs are. The lyrics let him down a little bit and because of this I wouldn't put his hat in the ring to win but he deserves notice for attempting to do something different within Grime.

SONS OF KEMET  - Your Queen Is A Reptile
A new discovery for me. I'd heard the name "Sons Of Kemet" before, but hadn't heard one note or word until this shortlist was released. After hearing the name, I was expecting more of a Metal group so the Jazz caught me off guard. A very welcomed surprise though. After reading the tracklist and realising its connection with the title I was already invested and so the intricate beats and standout percussion were just the icing on the whole cake. Really enjoyed this record. Only qualm is that this hasn't adequately represented each of the quality Jazz albums of this year.

WOLF ALICE - A Vision Of Life
If you'd have given me a crystal ball in 2015 after they released My Love Is Cool and I'd seen their name on this shortlist I would've sighed... heavily. However, seeing their name on the list now, I'm actually not too perturbed. I was super disappointed with their debut because I'd expected something significantly different. A Vision Of Life is much closer to what I'd previously envisioned from them and you can hear the improvement from each member - still not sure that it's a contender but I'm much more satisfied with their entry now.

Well, I did say earlier this year quite confidently that this album wouldn't be outdone by many and here we are at the number two spot beaten by only one - Process by Sampha.

This is one of the only albums on my list this year that I have kept the same favourites on since the first listen. The tracks that stood out to me in February are still the same tracks that stand out to me now - "Plastic 100c", "Blood On Me", "(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano" and "Reverse Faults". Not only have my favourites stayed the same but they've played such a huge part in my year, some of the most memorable moments of my summer were spent either watching Sampha perform this a festivals, cycling around with this sound tracking my trip, or having it play softly in the background on a road trip. Some of the best albums I've heard stick in my mind with vivid memories and this album does just that.

On top of all that, Process was not only nominated for a Mercury Prize - amongst several other amazing albums that came out this year, some of which feature on this list - but it topped the entire list. Clearly rightfully so. Almost anybody that I've spoken to about this album has given it nothing but praise and awe. Sampha's been around for a while but with a debut this strong, I know he's only just getting warmed up. Also, I can't finish this post without noting that the most beautiful version of "Plastic 100c" has got to be this right here - please do yourself a favour and watch this.

Check out my thoughts on the album that was pipped at the post last year here.

One of my most played artists of the year according to Spotify, and also album to one of my favourite opening songs of the year - in at number 18 is How To Be A Human Being by Glass Animals. 

So many of the best albums of 2017 have come from British artists and almost just as many have been debut albums. In at number 21 just on the cusp of the top twenty is debut solo album from British artist, Loyle Carner with Yesterday's Gone.

When Loyle started coming up a couple of years ago he was everywhere - every festival line up, every typical venue for up and comers, every magazine - his promo was insane. Rightly so, his voice is so distinct, and it's the kind of typical London voice I wouldn't expect to say that about, but it's a voice that you could pick out of a crowd nonetheless. In those first few months where Loyle was everywhere I went along with the hype and really overdid it a little bit and so when the time came for him to release this debut, I thought that I was over it. The excitement had worn off and I was a little bit bored. But when I actually got round to listening to the record, it still surprised me. Even the singles that I'd already known and loved sounded refreshed in the context of the record.

Standout new tracks on this one for me are "No Worries" and "Mrs C". Old favourites of mine however have to be "Isle of Arran", "Damselfly" and "Florence". I overplayed "Florence" so so much when I first heard it and thought that when I got to the record I'd be bored of it but no, it's still an amazing track. One thing that always shines through in Loyle's music is his love for his family. He's definitely not the first rapper to rap about family but it's a clear theme in his music and his live shows and the way that he keeps it down to earth and authentic has set him miles apart from a lot of the "popular rap" buzzing around at the minute.

Being nominated for a Mercury on your debut album is no small achievement - however a lot of the artists to have that happen in the past (e.g The xx, Ghostpoet, Alt-J, etc) have gone on to huge things and still continue to put out quality work. I'd expect nothing less from Loyle Carner after this one.

Continuing on the countdown at number 25, another Mercury nominated album - Love In The 4th Dimension by The Big Moon. Another debut making its way onto my list of top albums this year and another new discovery actually. I caught "Cupid" whilst listening to the radio earlier this year, and had to shazam it because I was enjoying it so much. Now, several months later here we are, with a whole record full of shazam-able tunes.

After doing a little more research on them I have to say that I was pretty shocked that they were a new band. Although they don't sound super polished per se, they gel together so well and so naturally; I would've been less shocked if this was their third album. It's been a little while since I've listened to Indie/Alternative music like this that's really stuck with me, and this year both TBM and Marika Hackman's (also very fantastic) records have been on repeat quite a bit.

I was lucky enough to catch the ladies' set at a Sofar Sounds gig a few months ago, and often I find that stripping back an artist's songs is an easy way isolate the parts of their songs that you like the most. It also means that there is no prduction magic to hide behind. This is where the album really shone for me. I knew I liked it before but some of the songs came across as even more powerful as acoustics. It's almost impossible to choose favourites on the album, it's just jam packed full of bangers. Each one has an innovative lyric or an infectious riff, something that just sticks in your mind even after first listen. So instead of favourites, here's a list of the tracks I think that I've played the most on the album - "Sucker", "Pull The Other One", "The Road", "Bonfire".

I'm just happy that I can say that this is really only the beginning for The Big Moon. I suspect that I'll be seeing a whole lot of them over these next few months, and may even see them on another list of mine in the next few years.

We've reached that time of the year! Alongside the "BBC Sound Of" shortlist, the Mercury Prize shortlist is just as, if not more indicative of how UK music is going currently and what music is set to look like in the near future. After brushing up on the nominees' albums these past few days, I have some thoughts on the 2017 shortlist...

ALT-J - Relaxer
I've got to be honest - I didn't even realise that this was a full length album until this shortlist was released. I thought it was intended to be an EP. Regardless, at first I didn't know if this should've made the list. It's definitely a very solid album but nothing about it really jumped out at me as overly innovative or different, and no song in particular stuck mind like other albums this year have. Although after listening back over these past couple of days, songs like "In Cold Blood", "Hit Me Like That Snare" and "Adeline" make me want to change my mind. Strong entry from alt-J here.  

THE BIG MOON - Love In The 4th Dimension 
I actually recently shazam'd their song "Cupid" after it caught my attention on a drive, and now that I've listened to the entire album it only cements their place on the list. Even minutes into the album on the opener "Sucker" I was already kicking myself for not having listened sooner. I can already see The Big Moon quickly rising up the festival rosters after this strong debut and although they may not win the Mercury, I'm sure that if they keep putting out awesome material like this, they'll soon have a few awards in tow.

BLOSSOMS - Blossoms
Another band that I can see being a big hit at festivals in the near future. Although a little more retro in their sound, their music has the same punch. The only thing that I found myself wishing for after listening to the record, was for them to have a bit more of a striking sound. If I'd have heard their music come on in a shop for example, there's not much that I could draw on to come to the conclusion that it was Blossoms. They sound very good just not very different. Overall, I'm not mad about this nomination though.

LOYLE CARNER - Yesterday's Gone
I was really excited to see Loyle up for a nomination. I hadn't expected it but I completely understood it. After hearing his first singles and seeing him live a couple of time I was convinced that I'd heard just about everything of concern from Loyle. Boy was I wrong. This debut very pleasantly surprised me and as well as staying true himself and producing content that showcases his life, personality and surroundings perfectly; he's given the public something accessible and enjoyable. Very worthy of the nomination.

DINOSAUR - Together, As One
Loving this new discovery. It's not too often that I listen to full instrumental albums but I've been thinking about it a lot more recently after making my way through some of Lettuce's catalogue. Dinosaur might just be a new favourite. They don't have as much exposure as most of the other atists on the list but music is music and this is good quality. Even if they don't win, it'll be great to see them garner some more new fans from this nomination.

GLASS ANIMALS - How To Be A Human Being
So, so happy that this made the list this year. Ever since their debut I've been smitten with their work, at first even thinking that Glass Animals were my "replacement" for alt-J after being underwhelmed by their second album. So the fact that this sophomore even managed to top the last record only cemented my feelings for their work as a band. This latest album is interesting, diverse and overall fun. I hope to hear more from them over the years but despite how much I enjoy their music, I'm not sure if this will take the prize this year.

ED SHEERAN - Divide
I definitely wasn't surprised to see this one here given all of the records it broke and all of the money it made, but seeing as Mercury prides itself on choosing albums entirerly based on quality I didn't think that Divide was quite good enough to fit the bill. Sure the songs were cool and catchy but something about it was a bit too simple for me and I still don't think it lived up to the hype surrounding it. Again, I wouldn't be surprised if this won the award given its' current success, but I think I'd be disappointed.

SAMPHA - Process
I've already spoken about how much I enjoyed this album in my review here and so of course I was not at all surprised to see Sampha's name on this year's shortlist. Given the work he's put out prior to this and also surrounding this I'd say he's a strong contender for the winning spot this year. Process provided a couple of my favourite songs this year so far and Sampha even featured on a track from my favourite album of last year. If I were a betting person, I'd take this one into serious consideration.

J HUS - Common Sense
YES! I'm buzzing that this made the list as I'd expected Stormzy to be on there and just figured that he'd be flying the flag for Grime this year, but very happy to have J Hus alongside him, on the back of a very solid album. J Hus really put out an album for the people with this new one and as well as giving us witty bars and radio bangers we also have a strong message and an album that I suspect people will be spinning for a long while.

KATE TEMPEST - Let Them Eat Chaos
I'm shocked at just how many times I've heard this name mentioned and just how many chances I've had to see her live and yet, until yesterday, I'd not heard one song from her. Yep, I missed the boat on this one but now that I've jumped on the bandwagon, I think it's an acquired taste but it's so unique right now. It's strength definitely relies on Kate's incredible lyricism but the instrumentals are a little bit take it or leave it for me at the moment. I'm definitely glad that I've finally had a listen and started to form an opinion. Also probably my favourite album title of the bunch.

STORMZY - Gang Signs And Prayer
Another album that I'd have near the top of my list to make bets on would be this debut masterpiece from Stormzy. This record took the world by storm (pun intended) and hasn't let off the gas since. Currently touring in Australia, everywhere he goes Stormzy is drawing in bucket loads of fans and making more along the way. This album coupled with his lovable character helped to make this one of the most exciting records to come out this year and it being his debut only makes it that much more impressive.

THE XX - I See You 
Similarly to alt-J, I was disappointed The xx's second album after such a stellar (Mercury Prize winning) debut album. Now they're back on the list with this collection of absolute bangers, and after seeing them live at Primavera Sound Festival this year, it's only heightened my appreciation for the album. "Dangerous" is still one of the only album openers this year to make me press repeat straight after first listen. As well as keeping their signature sound, The xx have pointed themselves in a new direction and an outstanding one at that. Could this be a second Mercury win for them?

Numero ocho goes to the lovely Laura Mvula and her album The Dreaming Room. It's been a long time since I could say that I've enjoyed a sophomore album noticeably more than the debut but Laura's definitely done it.

Don't get me wrong, Sing To The Moon had some gems on it for sure but every single song on this album is a gem. Whether I'm listening to it upside down, back to front, shuffled up - this album has not disappointed once yet. In fact, my most played song on Spotify this year was actually "Phenomenal Woman" - the last song on this album. After first hearing this song, I'm pretty sure I woke up to it consistently every day for close to a month. What a way to get the day started! Such an uplifting song! There's no way that I can listen to this and not "jig me foot" as Laura's Nan says.

One criticism I may have for the album itself is that although I enjoy every song on there, lyrically and instrumentally, there may be portions where it falls a bit short and where some others have surpassed it this year. However, the reason this made it onto my list is because it played such a huge part in my day-to-day - it truly served to lift my spirits and keep my head up, and for me, that's reason enough. As cliche as it sounds Laura's music was there for me this year, and I enjoyed every note! Although, don't just take my word for it - The Dreaming Room was also nominated for The Mercury Prize this year over and against some other very big british names, so I guess I wasn't the only one.

I hope that Laura continues to go from strength to strength after this one, she's always had the talent, there's no question of that - I just never know what creative direction she might take next. Another few favourites from the record for me were "Overcome" and "Let Me Fall". If you haven't already given this a listen or if you've never even heard of her - give up a good 36 minutes of your time to listen to this album. I guarantee it will leave you with a smile on your face.