Made winner of the Barclaycard Mercury Prize literally just now, 26-year-old Corynne Elliot’s mix of live instrumentation and acoustic-led hip-hop would make her the first rap-orientated winner of the prize since Dizzee Rascal in 2003. Compared regularly to colloquial pop forces such as Lily Allen and Jamie T, Speech Debelle’s blend of jazz-incorporating warmth means her work is far more organic and intimate than the above references would suggest. Released through Big Dada, with arrangements by Lotek Hi-Fi’s Wayne Bennett and featuring guest appearance from Roots Manuva (alongside the more experimental Micachu), the album stands as a refreshing illustration of the often-maligned UK hip-hop scene.