rEDOLENT wins The Scottish Album of the Year Award

rEDOLENT ‘dinny greet’ was last night announced as winner of The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award in Stirling’s Albert Halls.

Article Source: The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award
Last Updated: 25 October 2024 8:48

24th October - rEDOLENT took home the £20,000 first prize and a bespoke trophy as part of Scotland’s national music prize, claiming the title ahead of a Shortlist including Arab Strap, corto.alto, Rachel Sermanni and more. The Edinburgh five piece won for their electronic indie-pop debut album at the beginning of what is set to be a hugely exciting career for the Scottish newcomers.

Martyn Bennett’s final record ‘Grit’ was awarded the Modern Scottish Classic Award, presented by the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), with Martyn’s wife Kirsten Bennett and close friend BJ Stewart accepting the award on his behalf. Dillon Barrie was named The Sound of Young Scotland, winning a funding package worth up to £10,000 to create his debut album.

Now in its thirteenth year, The SAY Award has distributed over £390,000 in prize money, recognised 260 Longlisted albums and championed musicians from the country’s past, present and future.

rEDOLENT winners of The Scottish Album of the Year Award 2024 said, “This feels like the dream of a 7 year old child - it’s making me question all of existence and reality! I always feel like we’re sprinting behind the pack trying to keep up and all I’ve wanted to do is contribute something. I’m potentially also gonna greet right now which is ironic. We’re just so grateful this helps us keep this wee club that we’ve got going.Thank you also to Young Fathers for all the cool tunes and for not releasing one this year!”

Kirsten Bennett and BJ Stewart accepted 2024’s Modern Scottish Classic Award for ‘Grit’ saying, Kirsten - “This is a very special award. Martyn would have loved that this represents so much of what is outstanding about Scottish music that’s happening now, no matter what genre.”

BJ Stewart - "It’s unbelievably 20 years this coming January that Martyn died, but his music lives on and we’re so grateful to everyone here for putting this on - The SAY Award has been amazing so thanks so much for that. 2025 is going to be a big year for Martyn’s legacy - the Martyn Bennett Trust is finally releasing the official biography and it’s been a long time coming. Please keep listening.”

Dillon Barrie, winner of The Sound of Young Scotland Award said, “Thank you so much to the four amazing other finalists!”

The SAY Award Ceremony returned to The Albert Halls in Stirling for the third consecutive year, welcoming Scotland’s biggest and best from across the music industry, with fans gathering alongside artists, managers, labels and more to celebrate the country’s outstanding music scene. Hosted by broadcasters Nicola Meighan and Vic Galloway, the night was a striking reminder of Scotland’s diverse music industry with albums from across genres honoured on the night.

The Edinburgh five piece, made up of brothers Danny and Robin Herbert plus Andrew Turnbull, Robbie White and Alice Hancock, claimed the prize for their debut album. rEDOLENT won the coveted title from a Shortlist including Barry Can’t Swim, Becky Sikasa, Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand, all of whom collected runner-up prizes of £1,000 each and unique glass trophies, created via The SAY Award Design Commission by Dunblane artist Elin Isaksson. Winners of each prize, The SAY Award, Modern Scottish Classic and Sound of Young Scotland, collected bespoke sand-casted glass sculptures, with The SAY Award trophy enhanced with 23.5 carat gold. The awards were cast from naturally occuring rocks found by the artist close to her Dunblane studio, hand poured with molten glass, using recycled coloured shards of glass as a result of a sustainability-focussed brief.

Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) said, “Tonight, rEDOLENT’s debut album ‘dinny greet’ claims Scotland’s national music prize with a powerful and resonant body of work. The album’s experimental indie pop sound draws on both sharp social commentary and inventive electronic textures, firmly establishing them as a unique and important voice in Scottish music. By writing and singing in their own demotic, ‘dinny greet’ carries an unmistakable self-assurance, reflecting not just the band’s journey, but where we are culturally as a nation in 2024.

“rEDOLENT’s win is a testament to the importance of recognising and investing in Scotland’s diverse creative talent. The band’s distinct sound and voice, honed over a decade, speaks to the power of DIY ethos and creative evolution, showing us the impact of emerging artists in shaping our ever-evolving cultural identity.

“This year’s Ceremony also saw rising talent Dillon Barrie awarded the Sound of Young Scotland Award, promising a bright future for Scottish music. Meanwhile, Martyn Bennett’s iconic ‘Grit’ was celebrated as the Modern Scottish Classic Award winner – a seminal record that fused traditional Scottish music with cutting-edge electronica, creating a lasting legacy that continues to inspire generations of artists and music fans alike. Chosen as the winner by this year’s 20-strong SAY Award Longlist, tonight we celebrated ‘Grit’ through a specially curated unique performance – one which will undoubtedly be remembered for many years to come.

“Scottish music is the soundtrack and stories of our lives. The SMIA is proud of its ongoing commitment to strengthen, empower, and unite our music industry, and tonight’s Ceremony highlights both the cultural significance and global contribution of Scotland’s outstanding creative talent.”

Head of Music at Creative Scotland, Alan Morrison, said, “‘dinny greet’, rEDOLENT’s SAY Award-winning album, is a perfect example of off-centre alt-pop, meshing together intimate lyrics, catchy tunes and leftfield rhythms to create one of the most memorable debuts by a Scottish band in recent years. It’s also nice to see a bit of Scots language upfront in the title, underlining everything that gives our music scene such a distinctive identity. Congratulations too to Dillon Barrie, whose Sound of Young Scotland Award highlights the magnificent new generation of talent that’s making Scotland’s jazz sector one of the most vibrant creative spaces in the country. Creative Scotland is proud to support the SMIA and The SAY Award, and to champion the album as an invaluable form of artistic expression.”

Stirling Council Depute Leader, Cllr Gerry McGarvey said, “Congratulations to rEDOLENT on the much deserved accolade of 2024 Scottish Album of the Year and also to Dillon Barrie for receiving The Sound of Young Scotland Award. ‘Grit’ being named as the Modern Scottish Classic was also a fitting tribute to the life, career and legacy of Martyn Bennett.

“Stirling has been proud to host The SAY Award over the last three years, with the historic Albert Halls providing an ideal stage for this magnificent event, especially as we celebrate our 900th anniversary this year.

“Our partnership with The SAY Award continues beyond this evening as the award-winning Tolbooth Stirling will host a number of shows from some of the Shortlisted artists as well as an exhibition from local artist Elin Isaksson who designed the stunning trophies as part of The SAY Award Design Commission.

“Thank you once again to everyone who played their part in making The 2024 SAY Award a resounding success and underlining Stirling’s status as a major cultural events destination.”

Scotland’s music fans and industry alike gathered in Stirling, as part of the history city’s 900th anniversary in 2024, to enjoy incredible live performances ahead of the highly anticipated winner announcement. This year’s Ceremony was opened by No Windows, 2023’s Sound of Young Scotland winners, before three-time SAY Award nominee Bemz took to the stage for a special set. Each year, the Ceremony honours the Modern Scottish Classic Award winner with a celebratory set and tonight Greg Lawson, founder of the Grit Orchestra and Martyn Bennett’s close friend, curated a stunning performance with Croft No.Five and Fiona Hunter. Greg laid down his conductor’s baton to join Croft No. Five on violin, with Fiona Hunter taking on Sheila Stewart and Lizzie Higgins vocal contributions, performing ‘Blackbird’ and ‘Move’ in a triumphant nod to an album widely credited for beginning the musical evolution of Celtic fusion.

The SAY Award Shortlist for 2024 in alphabetical order:
Arab Strap I'm totally fine with it 'don't give a fuck anymore'
Barry Can't Swim When Will We Land?
Becky Sikasa The Writings and the Pictures and the Song
corto.alto Bad With Names
Dead Pony IGNORE THIS
Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand Willson Williams
Lucia & The Best Boys Burning Castles
Rachel Sermanni Dreamer Awake
rEDOLENT dinny greet
Theo Bleak Pain

A panel of industry experts and cultural tastemakers from across Scotland and the wider UKmet in Stirling to debate 2024’s Shortlist and choose the winner. Chaired by Arusa Qureshi, the judging panel was: Alistair Braidwood (Owner/Host, Scots Whay Hae!), Briana Pegado (Author & Founder, Good Trouble Co.), David Pollock (Journalist), Doug Johnstone (Author), Hazel Berry (Artist Relations & Amazon Originals Lead, Amazon Music), Karen Dunbar (Comedian/Actress/Entertainer), KevTame (Music Industry Professional, Welsh Music Prize Organiser), Leonie Bell (Director, V&A Dundee), Paul Bonham (Professional Development Director, Music Manager’s Forum), Sabrina Henry (Head of Programme, CCA), Stephanie Cheape (Singer/songwriter and BBC Introducing Presenter, BBC Radio Scotland).

The Modern Scottish Classic Award (presented by The SMIA) is an annual recognition of an iconic album from Scotland’s past that still inspires today, selected by 2024’s 20 Longlisted artists with Martyn Bennett’s final studio album ‘Grit’ the fourth ever recipient of the award. Martyn’s fifth album expertly showcased his groundbreaking blending of traditional Celtic and modern music, and is now widely credited for starting the musical evolution of Celtic fusion and continues to inspire today.

Martyn battled with Hodgkin's Lymphoma throughout the making of the album, and was no longer able to play instruments himself with ‘Grit’ his sole artistic outlet. Martyn Bennett passed away 15 months after the album was released in January 2005 at 33 years old, following a short but extraordinary career that has left a stunning musical legacy, not only in Scotland, but around the world.

The Sound of Young Scotland Award (supported by Help Musicians, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative through Creative Scotland and Youth Music) winner was revealed on the night with Dillon Barrie chosen by a panel of 11 former SAY Award nominees. The Pitlochry native moved to Glasgow in 2021 to attend the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s jazz course.

The award aims to stimulate and support the future of Scottish music, offering a funding package worth up to £10,000 to an emerging Scottish artist to assist them in creating their debut album including: cash grants of £5,500, 250 vinyl pressings of their debut album from Seabass Vinyl, in-kind use of The Tolbooth’s recording studio in Stirling, business advice from industry experts arranged via Help Musicians and more.

Keith Millar, Relationship Manager at Help Musicians, said “Congratulations to Dillon Barrie on winning this year’s Sound of Young Scotland Award. We are delighted to be supporting emerging Scottish talent, and we’re excited to see what the future holds for Dillon. Our research shows that 80% of musicians face at least one or more career-restricting barriers, so we recognise how important moments like this are. Our support aims to equip musicians with the skills they need to build a sustainable career in music. Congratulations to all of this year’s nominees who contribute so much to Scottish music and beyond.”

The SAY Award is a Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) production. The SAY Award 2024 is delivered in partnership with Creative Scotland, Stirling Council, Stirling Alive with Culture, Seabass Vinyl, Ticketmaster, Help Musicians, HMV, FOPP, PPL, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative, Youth Music, Music Declares Emergency, Harviestoun Brewery and Hotel Colessio (hotel partner for The SAY Award Ceremony).

The SAY Award’s charity partner is Scotland’s national children’s and young people’s mental health charity, Tiny Changes, set up in memory of Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison to help young minds feel better.

Now in its thirteenth year, previous winners of The SAY Award are: Young Fathers ‘Heavy Heavy’ (2023), Fergus McCreadie ‘Forest Floor’ (2022), Mogwai ‘As The Love Continues' (2021), Nova ‘Re-Up’ (2020), Auntie Flo ‘Radio Highlife’ (2019), Young Fathers ‘Cocoa Sugar’ (2018), Sacred Paws ‘Strike A Match’ (2017), Anna Meredith ‘Varmints’ (2016), Kathryn Joseph ‘Bones You Have Thrown Me And Blood I’ve Spilled’ (2015), Young Fathers ‘Tape Two’ (2014), RM Hubbert ‘Thirteen Lost & Found’ (2013) and the inaugural winner Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat ‘Everything’s Getting Older’ (2012).

Now in its fourth year, previous winners of the Modern Scottish Classic Award are: Paolo Nutini ‘These Streets’ (2023), Cocteau Twins ‘Heaven or Las Vegas’ (2022) and Frightened Rabbit ‘The Midnight Organ Fight’ (2021).

Previous winners of The Sound of Young Scotland Award are: No Windows (2023), Berta Kennedy (2022) and LVRA (2021).

Don’t miss The SAY Award news - follow the award on social media across Twitter @SAYaward, Instagram @sayaward, Facebook @SAYaward and TikTok @thesayaward

Image: rEDOLENT
Image credit: Ryan Johnston

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