A.B. Original lead 2017 AIR Award artist nominations

Amongst a stacked field of indie artists, A.B. Original lead the 2017 AIR Award nominations, announced this morning.

The groundbreaking hip hop act match the current record of five nominations set by Chet Faker in 2012. Flume had the same number the following year.

With four each, Flume, D.D. Dumbo and Alex Lahey are right behind the record-holders, and will compete with A.B. Original for Best Independent Artist. The fifth Best Artist nominee is Ali Barter – her first and only nod, but it’s a biggie.

The AIRs went AWOL in 2016 in order to realign the eligibility dates with the calendar year; releases that dropped between 1 August 2015 and 31 December 2016 are eligible for the 2017gongs.

The ceremony will be held in Adelaide on July27 this year as part of Umbrella: Winter City Sounds, with six afterparties dotted around the city. AIR struck a deal to keep the ceremony in the city for the next two years as well, with the awards and the associated two-day industry conference benefiting from the support of the state’s new Live Music Events Fund.

Here’s the full list of nominees:

Best Independent Artist

D.D. Dumbo

Flume

A.B. Original

Alex Lahey

Ali Barter

Best Independent Album Or EP

Ngaiire – Blastoma

A.B. Original – Reclaim Australia

Alex Lahey – B Grade University

D.D. Dumbo – Utopia Defeated

Big Scary – Animal

Best Independent Single

Flume – Never Be Like You (Feat. Kai)

D. D. Dumbo – Satan

A.B. Original – January 26 Feat. Dan Sultan

Big Scary – The Opposite Of Us

Alex Lahey – You Don’t Think You Like People Like Me

Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year – Presented By PPCA

Julia Jacklin

D.D. Dumbo

A.B. Original

Camp Cope

Alex Lahey

Best Independent Hip Hop Album

Remi – Divas And Demons

A.B. Original – Reclaim Australia

L-Fresh The Lion – Become

Hau – The No End Theory

Milwaukee Banks – Deep Into The Night

Best Independent Country Album

William Crighton – William Crighton

Henry Wagons – After What I Did Last Night

Big Smoke – Time Is Golden

Bill Chambers – Cold Trail

Halfway – The Golden Halfway Record

Best Independent Blues And Roots Album

Archie Roach – Let Love Rule

The Waifs – Beautiful You

Russell Morris – Red Dirt Red Heart

Julia Jacklin – Don’t Let The Kids Win

The Wilson Pickers – You Can’t Catch Fish From A Train

Best Independent Hard Rock, Heavy Or Punk Album

Dead Letter Circus – Aesthesis

Violent Soho – Waco

Luca Brasi – If This Is All We’re Going To Be

Hellions – Opera Oblivia

Twelve Foot Ninja – Outlier

Best Independent Dance/Electronica Album

Flume – Skin

Jagwar Ma – Every Now & Then

Elizabeth Rose – Intra

Friendships – Nullabor 1988-1989

Rainbow Chan – Spacings

Best Independent Dance, Electronica Or Club Single

Flume – Never Be Like You (Feat. Kai)

Nick Murphy – Stop Me (Stop You)

Starley – Call On Me

Best Independent Jazz Album

Vince Jones & Paul Grabowsky – Provenance

Keller Murphy Browne – Travellers

James Morrison & Don Burrows – In Good Company

Ben Winkelman Trio –The Knife

Best Independent Classical Album

Australian Brandenburg Orchestra – Brandenburg Celebrates

Slava Grigoryan – Bach: Cello Suites Vol 1

Australian Chamber Orchestra/Richard Tognetti – Mozart’s Last Symphonies

Genevieve Lacey & James Crabb – Heard This And Thought Of You