The event, AIM Awards, slated to take place at London's historic Roundhouse on Sept. 26, is shaping up to be a night of envelope-pushing performances, and it could generate plenty of standing O's while it's at it.
Two of the night's early victors are musical monsters scarcely present in the independent music scene that can be ignored: the South London psycho-sound alchemist Dan Carey and Belgium's gamely genre-free electro veterans, Soulwax.
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Dan Carey, the mastermind producer and co-founder of the powerhouse label Speedy Wunderground, will be honored with this year's Innovator Award, awarded in association with Amazon Music. But Carey is more than just a behind-the-scenes studio wizard; he is the architect of a new wave of British guitar bands who are redefining the landscape. Famed for his fearless production instincts and his deep belief in collaboration, Carey's influence on some of the most essential records of recent years is everywhere. He's a musician of not just technical skill, but genuine commitment to a love of experimentation and independence, the very essence of what the AIM Awards were designed to celebrate.
Soulwax will also leave with the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award, courtesy of sponsors Merlin. And of course, if you've spent any time in a club over the past 20 years, you've felt the ripple effects of their influence. Through their genre-spanning albums and norm-defying work as 2ManyDJs, the Dewaele brothers have rewritten the rulebook of what electronic music can be. Their political artwork and quality control have helped them remain at the forefront of club culture for two decades, and now they receive the recognition they deserve on a night that champions longevity, creative brilliance, and just great sounds.
Of course, the night of the awards won't just be about the trophies, but it'll be a party of the sounds that are rattling the indie world at present. Grime legend P Money and up-and-coming drum & bass DJ Whiney will both light up the Roundhouse, as will One To Watch presented with BBC Music Introducing nominee, Laughta. And there are more artists to be announced, so the night's set list is only growing hotter.
Also previously announced: genre-defying Björk is being recognized with the Best Live Performer award, and Black Lives in Music's Charisse Beaumont is to be crowned Diversity Champion.
AIM Awards 2023 is undoubtedly going to be a night that celebrates the old, the new, and the future of independent music. With Soulwax and Carey on the honours list, it's a message that innovation, authenticity, and fearlessness still mark the way.
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