FEATURE:
The Digital Mixtape
IN THIS PHOTO: Toronto-based artist U.S. Girls (Meghan Remy)/PHOTO CREDIT: Emma McIntyre
The Polaris Music Prize 2023 Long List
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AN important award ceremony…
IN THIS PHOTO: Alvvays/PHOTO CREDIT: Norman Wong/Courtesy Grace Jones Publicity
that recognises the best Canadian (artists born or based there) albums of the year, the Polaris Music Prize (“The Polaris Music Prize is a not-for-profit organization that annually honours and rewards artists who produce Canadian music albums of distinction. A select panel of music critics judge and award the Prize without regard to musical genre or commercial popularity”) has announced its forty-album long list. It is a varied and exceptional collection of albums that people need to know about. I am not sure how many people outside of Canada know about the Polaris Music Prize. I guess it is the equivalent of the Mercury Prize in the U.K. I am going to get to a playlist featuring a song from each of the longlisted albums soon. Before, Pitchfork reported the news about this year’s nominees and ceremony:
“The Polaris Music Prize—an annual award for Canada’s best album of the year—has announced its preliminary long list of eligible nominees today. Alvvays, Feist, U.S. Girls, Andy Shauf, Badge Époque Ensemble, and more all have albums in this year’s first round of potential nominees. See the full list of nominees below.
A group of writers, programmers, and broadcasters determines the nominees; this year’s pool collected votes from 205 people, who considered 221 albums in all. The short list of ten finalists is coming July 13, with winners announced in mid-September. The winner receives a $50,000 prize with the honor. Pierre Kwenders won the 2022 Polaris Music Prize for his album José Louis and the Paradox of Love.
Polaris Music Prize Long List 2023:
ALL HANDS_MAKE LIGHT - Darling The Dawn
Alvvays - Blue Rev
Aquakultre - Don't Trip
Aysanabee - Watin
Badge Époque Ensemble - Clouds Of Joy
Begonia - Powder Blue
Bibi Club - Le soleil et la mer
BIG|BRAVE - nature morte
Philippe Brach - Les gens qu’on aime
Mariel Buckley - Everywhere I Used To Be
Daniel Caesar - Never Enough
Chiiild - Better Luck In The Next Life
Feist - Multitudes
Debby Friday - Good Luck
Gayance - Mascarade
Ghostkeeper - Multidimensional Culture
Home Front - Games of Power
JayWood - Slingshot
Khotin - Release Spirit
Thierry Larose - Sprint!
Murray Lightburn - Once Upon A Time In Montreal
Isabella Lovestory - Amor Hardcore
Dan Mangan - Being Somewhere
N NAO - L'eau et les rêves
Tami Neilson - Kingmaker
Eliza Niemi - Staying Mellow Blows
Nico Paulo - Nico Paulo
Planet Giza - Ready When You Are
poolblood - mole
Jessie Reyez - Yessie
The Sadies - Colder Streams
Jairus Sharif - Water & Tools
Andy Shauf - Norm
Dylan Sinclair - No Longer In The Suburbs
Snotty Nose Rez Kids - I'm Good, HBU?
Alexandra Stréliski - Néo-Romance
U.S. Girls - Bless This Mess
Witch Prophet - Gateway Experience
Yoo Doo Right - A Murmur, Boundless to the East
Zoon - Bekka Ma'iingan”
To mark an amazing long list for this year’s Polaris Music Prize, I have selected a song from each of the nominated albums and combined them in a playlist. There will be artists and albums you might not have heard of. Recognising phenomenal music from Canadian artists, take a listen to the playlist. I think that more eyes should be on…
THE esteemed Polaris Music Prize.