Soulwax & Dan Carey to be Honoured at AIM Awards, Live Performers Unveiled

13 September 2023 - Press release

Soulwax / 2manydjs honoured with Outstanding Contribution to Music Award
Speedy Wunderground’s Dan Carey to receive the Innovator Award

Performers include P Money & Whiney, Laughta and more surprises on the night
Ceremony to celebrate 50 years of Hip Hop supported by BBC 1Xtra
Limited balcony tickets now available

The Association of Independent Music (AIM) has revealed the winners of the Innovator and Outstanding Contribution to Music Awards alongside performers for the upcoming ceremony.

Soulwax will be taking home the legendary ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music award in association with Merlin’ in recognition of their decades-spanning work and influence. Initially formed by brothers Stephen and David Dewaele in 1995, Soulwax have consistently pushed the boundaries of music into new and innovative territory. As well as a band, they are DJs (2manydjs), a record label (DEEWEE) and the sound system Despacio, a joint project with James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem.

The duo 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. 2manydjs, meanwhile, is credited with taking club-ready remixes to dance floors globally. With their 2002 2manydjs album ‘As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt 2’ they created a new remixing style that set the template for imitators ever since.

As an accolade that recognises the visionaries who drive independent music, the ‘Innovator Award in association with Amazon Music’ is given to Speedy Wunderground co-founder and legendary producer Dan Carey. A driving force behind some of the most impactful debuts in recent years, Carey’s production chops have been demonstrated on releases from the likes of Fontaines DC, Squid, Kae Tempest and Kylie Minogue. With four Grammy nominations under his belt, Carey’s signature style and his continued dedication to his label has had undeniable influence across the independent music community.

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 buzzing independent record shop Resident Music and home for creative new music Cafe OTO.

As 2023 marks 50 years of Hip Hop, the evening’s ceremony will celebrate this landmark occasion, supported by BBC 1Xtra.The show will feature a unique 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.

Finally, as anticipation reaches a peak for the Awards (to be held 26 September at Camden’s Roundhouse), AIM also announce the first exclusive and intimate live performances taking place across the ceremony.

Taking to the iconic stage, the evening will play host to one of the most exciting crossover acts in the underground music scene; P Money, a veteran grime MC and Whiney, a DJ on the rise signed to ‘Best Independent Label’ nominee, Hospital Records. With a string of projects behind them, the revered duo have received acclaim for their blend of grime and drum & bass. Fresh off the back of their sixth collaborative single ‘Junkyard’ ft Ocean Wisdom, the pair are currently touring the UK.

Also tipped to appear at the ceremony, British-Lebanese rapper/producer and ‘One To Watch in association with BBC Music Introducing’ nominee Laughta will bring her distinctive fusion of cultural influences to the stage.

For the first time, the AIM Awards will be offering a limited number of balcony seats for industry guests – a more inclusive and affordable option for members of the independent community who wish to join the celebrations. To book balcony tickets or tables, please email awards@aim.org.uk.

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’ feat. 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 (feat. 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)