The Association of Independent Music (AIM) has revealed the winners of the Innovator and Outstanding Contribution To Music categories, alongside performers for their upcoming awards ceremony.
Soulwax will be taking home the Outstanding Contribution To Music award in association with Merlin, which recognises their decades-spanning work and influence. Initially formed by brothers Stephen and David Dewaele in 1995, Soulwax gained notoriety for both official and unofficial remixes of tracks by the likes of Daft Punk, Robbie Williams, Gorillaz and The Rolling Stones, with recent credits including Wet Leg and Charlotte Adigéry.
As well as a band, they are also DJs (2ManyDJs), who have been credited with taking club-ready remixes to dance floors globally. The pair also own a record label (DeeWee) and the sound system Despacio, a joint project with James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem.
The Innovator Award in association with Amazon Music is being given to Speedy Wunderground co-founder and legendary producer Dan Carey (pictured). A driving force behind some of the most impactful debuts in recent years, Carey’s has produced for the likes of Fontaines DC, Squid, Kae Tempest and Kylie Minogue, and has been nominated for four Grammy Awards.
Concluding the nominee list, this year’s Independent Champion in association with Downtown contenders see broadcaster and BBC Radio 1 DJ Jaguar Bingham joined by independent record shop Resident Music and home for creative new music, Cafe OTO.
AIM has also revealed the first live performances which will be taking place across the ceremony.
P Money, a veteran grime MC, and Whiney, an upcoming DJ signed to AIM’s Best Independent Label nominee, Hospital Records, will be taking to the stage together. With a string of projects behind them, the revered duo – who are currently touring the UK – have received acclaim for their blend of grime and drum and bass.
British-Lebanese rapper and producer and BBC Introducing’s One To Watch nominee Laughta is also expected to be performing.
As 2023 marks 50 years of hip-hop, the evening’s ceremony will also be celebrating the landmark occasion, supported by BBC 1Xtra. The show will feature a dedication to the genre, highlighting both its influence in the UK’s independent hip hop community and lasting impact on the emergence of various musical genres.
For the first time, the AIM Awards will be offering a limited number of balcony seats for industry guests.
Here is a list of the newly announced winners and nominees:
Innovator Award in association with Amazon Music: Dan Carey
Outstanding Contribution to Music in association with Merlin: Soulwax / 2manydjs
Independent Champion in association with Downtown:
Jaguar Bingham
Resident Music
Cafe OTO
Previously announced winners and nominees:
Diversity Champion (Winner): Charisse Beaumont - Black Lives in Music
Best Live Performer (Winner): Björk: (One Little Independent)
PPL Award For Most Played New Independent Artist:
AntsLive (Payday Records, Trademark Records)
John Summit (Off The Grid Records)
Surya Sen (Skint Records)
Vibe Chemistry (DnB Allstars Records)
Wet Leg (Domino Records)
Music Entrepreneur Of The Year:
Alex Brees - Un:hurd
Caius Pawson - Young/Space
Jess Kangalee - Good Energy PR
Keturah Cummings - Forward Slash
Yasin El Ashrafi - HQ Familia
Best Boutique Label:
Chess Club
Glasgow Underground
Houndstooth
Rough Bones
So Young Records
Best Independent Label:
Defected Records
Forever Living Originals
Hospital Records
One Little Independent
Transgressive
Best Creative Campaign in association with Able:
Because Music (Shygirl - Nymph)
Dirty Hit (Rina Sawayama - Hold The Girl)
Human Re Sources (Raye - My 21st Century Blues)
Ninja Tune (Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy)
Partisan Records (Ezra Collective - Where I’m Meant To Be)
XL Recordings (Yaeji - With A Hammer)
UK Independent Breakthrough:
Ezra Collective (Partisan Records)
I.Jordan (Ninja Tune)
Overmono (XL Recordings)
Shygirl (Because Music)
Suki Waterhouse (Sub Pop)
Best Independent Track in association with Meta:
Connie Constance - Hurt You (Play It Again Sam)
Enny - Charge It (FAMM)
Four Tet - ‘Three Drums’ (Text Records)
Makaya McCraven - Dream Another (XL Recordings)
Overmono - Good Lies (XL Recordings)
Raye, 070 Shake - Escapism (Human Re Sources)
Shygirl - Shlut (Because Music)
Sudan Archives - ‘Selfish Soul’ (Stones Throw Records)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Spitting Off The Edge of The World ft. Perfume Genius (Secretly Canadian)
Yves Tumor - Echolalia (Warp Records)
Best Independent EP/Mixtape in association with BBC 1Xtra:
Bellah - Adultsville (Base ‘N’ Rebulz X Marathon Music Group)
Enny - We Go Again (FAMM)
Jessica Winter - Limerance (Lucky Number)
Saint Joshua - EP2 (Ditto Music)
Yunè Pinku - Babylon IX (Platoon)
Best Independent Album in association with Spotify:
Avelino - God Save The Streets (More Music Records/OddChild Music)
Kelela - Raven (Warp Records)
Little Simz - No Thank You (Forever Living Originals)
Nova Twins - Supernova (Marshall Records)
Obongjayar - Some Nights I Dream of Doors (September Recordings)
Oliver Sim - Hideous Bastard (Young)
Raye - My 21st Century Blues (Human Re Sources)
Rina Sawayama - Hold The Girl (Dirty Hit)
Shygirl - Nymph (Because Music)
Wu-Lu - Loggerhead (Warp Records)
Best Independent Remix:
Sega Bodega Remix (One Little Independent) - Björk - Ovuke (ft. Shygirl)
Soulwax Remix (Deewee/Because Music) - Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul - Cliche
Nu:Tone Remix (Hospital Records) - Glxy - Butterfly Effect (feat. Hugh Hardie & Visionobi)
Jamie XX remix (Young) - Oliver Sim - GMT
Boys Noize (Secretly Canadian) - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Wolf
One To Watch in association with BBC Music Introducing:
Jessica Winter (Lucky Number)
Juice Menace (Supernature)
Flowerovlove (Fae Grp)
Laughta (MDLBeast)
Master Peace (PMR)
Best Independent Video in association with Vevo:
Ezra Collective - No Confusion ft. Kojey Radical (Partisan Records)
Kelela - Enough For Love (Warp Records)
Obongjayar - I Wish It Was Me (Live) (September Recordings)
Raye, 070 Shake - Escapism (Human Re Sources)
Wesley Joseph - Monsoon (EevilTwinn)
