Alt-J have described their Mercury Music Prize win as ‘special’ after their inevitable triumph was confirmed at a London ceremony last night (November 1st).
The band, who formed at Leeds University and later relocated to Cambridge, will go down as one of the least surprising Mercury winners in history after being strongly tipped for the 2012 prize for many months.
“It was definitely a pressure for us because there are so many strong contenders this year,” vocalist Joe Newman has told Digital Spy. “We just felt lucky to be amongst such good quality artists really.”
“We’ve noticed a change in the atmosphere at gigs. Everyone is a lot more vocal and shouty in a good way. There’s more of a presence from the audience which I think is a result of the Mercury Prize.”
Guitarist Gwil Sainsbury added that the selection policy of the prize, when a panel of industry judges personally debate the nominees, has made their win all the more special.
“Better than a computer that makes sure a bit of everything is in there,” he remarked. “It’s a panel of judges who love 12 albums, which is what makes it special.”
An equally predictable ‘Mercury bounce’ for the their debut ‘An Awesome Wave‘ is already in evidence, with the record up to #2 on the iTunes chart and at #12 on Amazon’s album rundown.