JOSHUA’S ‘EPHRATA’ LANDS THIS YEARS NI MUSIC PRIZE

CONGRATULATIONS Joshua Burnside – who won the ‘Northern Ireland Music Prize’ for album of the year at an event in Belfast over the weekend. While the award is more about shining a light on the twelve nominations – Joshua’s record ‘Ephrata’ felt like a worthy winner. On paper it’s a guy and his guitar – but those songs are full of creativity and adventure. For a start – it was written in South America – and incorporates Latin influences, scatty time signatures and curious production throughout. It has been pointed out, however – that the five winners of this award to date have all been ‘singer songwriters’ – Foy Vance, Robyn G Shiels, SOAK, Ciaran Lavery and now Joshua. I think that’s a fair point, even if applying the term ‘singer songwriters’ to that lot is a little misleading.

The question is – are the judges favouring this type of music over heavier, rockier, band-y stuff? Or does Northern Ireland just happen to do gentle music rather well these days? I think both statements are true. The judging panel is extensive and varied

(a good thing, I think) – and thus will lean towards albums with broad appeal – over those a little more niche. But it’s also true that the creative singer songwriter does seem to be our ‘thing’ these days. Is that something to celebrate? I guess it depends upon what you’re in to. One thing though – each of the the aforementioned winners, and indeed the selection of singer songwriters nominated this year – they all sound very different.

As for potential albums from new acts wh could potentially win in the future? You’ve Bicep (house), TOUTS

(punk) and Brand

New Friend (indie rock), for a start.

So perhaps this whole discussion is moot – as the tide is turning….

WINNER Joshua Burnside