Mercury Prize 2013

From indie folk John Hopkins, to veteran rocker David Bowie, drum and bass Rudimental, electronic pianist James Blake and rock band Foals. Laura Mvula is there too, although her over predictability is too much for me. And dance, rock, post punk. 
Favourites for the prize may be dance duo Disclosure and respected singer songwriter Laura Marling.  http://www.mercuryprize.com/ 

I saw Marling in concert at the Old Fruitmarket a few years ago when she was barely 19 and she seemed so young – and passed her in a café nearby earlier that evening. She has been living in LA the past year to work on her latest album. I thought there was something fragile and ethereal about her then, and she did have the audience spellbound. 

Laura Marling Old Fruitmarket

I saw James Blake Oran Mor in 2011 - the gig was charged and packed out and I thought his set was engrossing. I love the cover for his second album Overgrown. I enjoyed his cover of Feist's song 'Limit To Your Love.'  In my review I wrote his music was like Unexpected Journeys. 
http://www.musicfootnotes.com/2011/06/james-blake-at-oran-mor-glasgow
 

James Blake Oran Mor

The American music reviewer Mikal Gilmore is concerned at the state of the music industry today however -

Labels sign artists for a certain sound, quirk, style, niche or whatever – and are loathe to allow those artists to expand or develop much beyond that one thing. That is partly why we see so many one hit wonders .. These artists are milked, drained, toured and discarded before they even have a shot at that second round. It’s a new kind of pop hegemony – a blockbuster mentality that has made so many modern films tiresome, predictable and limited.   

Quote, Night Beat, Mikal Gilmore.

PS James Blake was the unexpected yet deserved Mercury prize winner 31st October.