Line up for Choice Music Prize means judges face tough task picking a winner

Those who have to decide who gets the RTÉ Choice Music Prize tonight face a difficult task picking an album of the year from a very strong line-up, writes Ed Power

All Tvvins — IIVV (Warner)

Exuberant electro pop from Dubliners Conor Adams and Lar Kaye. All Tvvins began as an extracurricular collaboration between musicians who had already gained attention with the Cast of Cheers and Adebisi Shank, respectively. With All Tvvins they set controls for the heart of the Spotify top 50, with their more commercial sound refined rather mercurially on their debut long-player. It’s a fun album — but perhaps a mite too eager to land on the Today FM daytime playlist.

Could it win? Absolutely. The Choice winner is often the compromise candidate a majority of the judging panel can bear to see triumph. IIVV is unobjectionable with a vengeance — and that may be carry the day.

Wallis Bird — Home (Mount Silver/Caroline International)

Upbeat torch songs from the Berlin-based Wexford singer. Having walked away from a major label deal early in her career, Bird has built a distinct music persona across recent records, a work that reaches its fruition with this rich and multi-faceted collection. Not quite as catchy as its dance-tinged predecessor Architect — but a project fans have taken to heart.

Could it win? A long shot. Bird has been nominated before and the prize tends not to go to previously shortlisted artists.

Bantum — Move (Self-released)

Another Choice shortlist, another underground electronic artist. But don’t write Cork producer Ruairi Lynch off as making up the numbers. As Bantum, he has concocted an impressively chilly musical dystopia that splices the Blade Runner soundtrack with brooding Irish melancholia. One aim of the Choice Prize is to shine a light on unheralded records. If the ceremony introduces a wider audience to Bantum, it will have succeeded in that goal.

Could it win? Probably not. An electro artist or two usually makes the shortlist — but are typically deemed too obscure or challenging to win.

Divine Comedy — Foreverland (Divine Comedy Records)

By turns irreverent and melancholic, the Divine Comedy’s first album in over five years is a charming restatement of Neil Hannon’s musical first principles. Gilded chamber pop mingles with heartfelt lyrics — all carried off with tremendous wit and verve.

Could it win? An outside possibility. Foreverland is among the strongest records nominated and judges may be swayed by Hannon’s stature. He’s one of the few artists on the list whose reputation extends beyond Ireland.

Lisa Hannigan — At Swim (Play It Again Sam)

Spooky and inward-looking, Hannigan’s third album represents an important break from the twee figure she cut on her earlier records. But even with the National’s Aaron Dessner producing, it doesn’t pack enough tunes into its running time. Hannigan’s voice remains a thing of wonder — her songwriting is still a bit behind.

Could it win? Yes — Hannigan is well regarded in Irish music and, in the absence of a runaway candidate, would be an acceptable compromise.

Katie Kim — Salt (Art for Blind Records)

The enigmatic Waterford songwriter conjures layers of mystery for her latest project. Salt splices ambient electronica with disembodied vocals and ’90s-vintage indie angst. The results are glimmering and gorgeous, but they are also perhaps insufficiently commercial for a mainstream affair such as the Choice. Salt deserves to win — and almost certainly won’t.

Could it win? We’ll eat our vinyl edition of Salt in the event of the album triumphing. It is simply too challenging to find favour with an awards event that, when in doubt, has usually veered towards albums with a commercial bent.

James Vincent McMorrow — We Move (Faction Records)

The transformation of the former mumbly strummer to angst-ridden groover was completed with this impressively soulful record. If you’ve ever wondered what a mash-up between The Weeknd and Damien Rice might sound like, We Move will satisfy your curiosity. Little wonder McMorrow’s troubled falsetto has been subsequently sampled by Drake.

Could it win? There is every chance — We Move is experimental but with populist zing. (However, McMorrow is the only one of the ten nominees not performing at the Choice tonight.) In with a major shot, without question.

Overhead, The Albatross — Learning To Growl (Self Released)

Cinematic post-rock from a long-toiling group seeking to put their own twist on a formula popularised by Mogwai, Godspeed, etc. As a celebration of droning instrumental indie with prog overtones it’s a triumph. But how badly does the world require fresh infusions of droning instrumental indie with prog overtones?

Could it win? You can never say never — but the Dubliners are in all likelihood too niche.

Rusangano Family — Let the Dead Bury The Dead (Self-released)

Smart, hard-punching hip-hop from the Limerick trio. Combining bare-boned production and dexterous wordplay, their debut album is the finished article — and as Choice winner it would make for a heartening departure from the moaning confessional rock too often championed by the award.

Could it win? Absolutely — there is a sense hip-hop’s time has come and with ‘urban’ acts such as Skepta and Young Fathers triumphing at the Mercury in recent years, the Choice may well follow the British ceremony’s lead.

We Cut Corners — The Cadences of Others (Delphi)

Intricate semi-acoustic pop from teachers-by-day/tortured-artists-by-night duo. The occasional swerve into plugged in rock keeps things interesting. It’s hard to actively dislike the album — but equally difficult to muster strong feelings of any sort towards it.

Could it win? The perfectly unobjectionable We Cut Corners are another potential compromise candidate — though it’s difficult to see them placing ahead or Rusangano Family or James Vincent McMorrow.

• The RTÉ Choice Music Prize takes place at Vicar Street, Dublin, tonight. It will be broadcast live on 2FM