Women and first-time nominees dominate the 30th anniversary of the Mercury Prize, which celebrates the best British and Irish albums of the year. 11 of the 12 shortlisted albums are from the first-timers like Kojey Radical and Yard Act. Little Simz is the only artist here with Mercury history: her third album, 'Grey Area', was nominated in 2019, with her second nod coming for its follow-up, 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert'. Simz also leads a pack dominated by women, with seven of the 12 albums by female solo artists or mixed groups, like Wet Leg, Jessie Buckley, and Joy Crookes. Guardian delivers a good insight.

Sons Of Kemet share groovey 'Hustle' featuring Kojey Radical; Moist go pop-rawk on 'End of the Ocean'; Wavves share a seemingly feel-good song 'Sinking Feeling' about depression; bedroom pop meets hyperpop on Spill Tab's 'Pistolwhip'; Toronto poet Mustafa offers words of peace and hope on sad, sad 'Ali'; Rejjie Snow's 'Relax' says it all with the title.

On Kanye West: Kojey Radical: I feel conflicted. I’ve got Yeezys on right now. The problem is, for all the contribution he’s made to music, he’s gotten to the point now where he just likes the conversation. Jenny Hollingworth: I don’t like it when people censor others’ opinions by saying they’re crazy – it’s a bad way of […]