Mercury Prize Pocket Guides: Part 1

In the first part of three pocket guides, Matt Everitt profiles four of this year’s Mercury Award nominated albums, with archive interviews and deep cuts.

The first album he covers is by award-winning pianist Fergus McCreadie. Forest Floor is his third album, and it’s a collection of dreamy jazz music created with his regular trio of bassist David Bowden and drummer Stephen Henderson.

Gwenno’s Tresor, is named after the Cornish word for ‘treasure’. The Welsh singer grew up in a Cornish speaking family and it’s a tribute to both her family and her Cornish roots.

One Direction star Harry Styles recorded his latest album in a friend’s front room. The result is a thoughtful pop album that blends influences from Japanese City Pop and R&B.

The last album is a collaboration between actress Jessie Buckley and former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler. Entitled, For All Our Days That Tear the Heart, it’s their debut album together and mixes English, Irish, American and Spanish folk with hints of classics from the 1970s.