Another year, another Mercury Music Prize, and another DiS selection of alternative album choices, which probably should, in our opinion, have made the Mercury list.

We weren't going to do the Neptune Music Prize again this year. Pah! We thought, as the names were being read out, we must be doing something right as the previously Neptune nominated Metronomy have made the bloody Mercury list. Gah! We thought, as records we loved that were presumed sure things didn't get read out after that. Blah! We thought as lotsa other sites set-up their own alternative we-know-best lists and it felt like there wasn't really much point adding another arbitary marketing exercise for records we love to a crowded listicle world. And then, nothing. And then lotsa emails came in, in the past few days, asking where our list is this year. So, er, here it is, 'inspired' somewhat by this quote from Mercury judge Simon Frith:

"This year’s Barclaycard Mercury Prize shortlist highlights the remarkable possibilities of what can be achieved with music – the grand gesture and telling detail, albums that are dramatic, ambitious and artful, emotional and affectionate, funny and profound. Much of the music here evokes a sense of place and time, providing a wonderful snapshot of Britain’s varied musical life.”

As per previous years, this is a selection of records we highly-recommend that offer our snapshot of UK music now (or at least in the eligible July-July timeframe of the Mercury). Click on the artworks to read our reviews. To vote for your choice of our picks, fire up http://facebook.com/drownedinsound. And if you've not heard any of them or fancy listening again, we've compiled this Spotify playlist of all this year's Neptune nominated albums.

NEPTUNE 2011 - Nominees

So that is...

Mount Kimbie Crooks & Lovers
SBTRKT SBTRKT
Luke Abbott Holkham Drones
Emmy The Great Virtue
Friendly Fires Pala
Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat Everything's Getting Older
Wild Beasts Smother
Forest Swords Dagger Paths
Darkstar North
Bryan Ferry Olympia

VOTE

This year you just need to hit up our Facebook page http://facebook.com/drownedinsound and select the album you love. We'll announce the winner on Tuesday September 6th, just after lunch.

DiScuss: This year's Neptune list with fellow DiSsers and share who you voted for and why, and who shoulda been on the list, here.

Photo of Neptune via Cirkeline.