Mercury Prize nominees announced

Dizzee Rascal and the xx (pictured above) lead the nominations for this year’s Mercury Prize, which were announced this morning in London.

The xx’s eponymous debut and Dizzee’s Tounge N’ Cheek were joined by albums by Mumford & Sons, Paul Weller and the Foals.

Lovers of electronic music will be disappointed by the absence of Fuck Buttons’ Tarot Sport, an Andrew Weatherall-produced gem released in October last year to considerable underground acclaim, other noticeable absentees from the list include Four Tet, Walls, Actress, Rusko, Steve Mason and The Chap.

Last year’s Mercury prize was won by Speech Debelle. The ceremony for the 2010 award takes place in London on September 7.

The full list is as follows:

Dizzee Rascal – Tongue N’ Cheek
The xx – xx
Paul Weller – Wake Up the Nation
Corinne Bailey Rae – The Sea
Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
Foals – Total Life Forever
Wild Beasts – Two Dancers
Biffy Clyro – Only Revolutions
Villagers – Becoming a Jackal
Kit Downes Trio – Golden
I Am Kloot – Sky at Night