Flume, A.B. Original, Ali Barter & Alex Lahey Dominate Nominations For 11th AIR Awards

Acknowledging the best independent recording artists in the country, Australia’s independent music industry will descend on its new home of Adelaide for the prestigious 2017 AIR Awards at Queen's Theatre 27 July.

The Awards will be held as part of the 2017 Umbrella: Winter City Sounds programme.

And the nominations for the 11th AIR Awards are in. Flume, D. D. Dumbo, A.B Original, Alex Lahey and Ali Barter will contend for Best Independent Artist.



Adelaide will host the awards – for the first time in its history – for the next three years. A two-day music industry conference happens 27-28 July also in Adelaide as part of Umbrella: Winter City Sounds,

With genres crossing jazz, classical, blues and roots, country, hip hop, hard rock/punk and dance/electronica, the 2017 AIR Awards nominees are:

Best Independent Artist

D. D. Dumbo
Flume
A.B. Original
Alex Lahey
Ali Barter

Best Independent Album/ 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

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