THIS SITE HAS BEEN ARCHIVED AND CLOSED.

The annual Nationwide Mercury Prize is almost upon us, with the shortlist of 12 albums that will contest 2008’s award revealed next week, on Tuesday (July 22). DiS will be at the announcement and will update readers as soon as we’re able, but for now, let’s have a little DiScussion.

And I really do mean little, like this is almost it. The rules for making the cut: the album must be produced by a British musician and have been released between last year’s awards announcement, in July, and this month. All genres of music are eligible.

Last year’s winner was (pictured, celebrating) Klaxons’ Myths Of The Near Future (review). And this year’s? Well, we’re open to your suggestions, but here are 12 albums from domestic acts that we think are pretty special, and should certainly be considered for shortlist-making.

M.I.A., Kala (XL, read review here)

Future of the Left, Curses (Too Pure, read review here)

Burial, Untrue (Hyperdub, read review here)

British Sea Power, Do You Like Rock Music (Rough Trade, read review here)

Foals, Antidotes (Transgressive, read review here)

Elbow, The Seldom Seen Kid (Fiction, read review here)

Fuck Buttons, Street Horrrsing (ATP, read review here)

Johnny Foreigner, Waited Up ‘Til It Was Light (Best Before, read review here)

Mystery Jets, Twenty One (sixsevennine, read review here)

Portishead, Third (Island, read review here)

Frightened Rabbit, The Midnight Organ Fight (Fat Cat, read review here)

Wild Beasts, Limbo, Panto (Domino, read review here)

Notice absence of jazz and classical suggestions, due to DiS’s complete lack of knowledge in said fields. And also a lack of a Youthmovies mention… if you want to suggest Good Nature should make the cut, do be our guest. No, really. It is a super, smashing, great album. And fully deserves its many plaudits (even though we couldn’t ‘officially’ review it, or that’d be construed as cheating).

DiScuss: Any dead-certs for the shortlist in the above 12 suggestions? What albums that DiS hasn’t mentioned are in with a decent look in? Who do you think will follow Klaxons and win this year’s Mercury Prize?