Dubstep artist Burial is the surprise early favourite to claim Britain's prestigious Nationwide Mercury Music Prize, awarded annually for the country's best album, according to bookmakers on Wednesday.
Previous winners of the award include Portishead, Dizzee Rascal, Franz Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys, and it is often seen as vital showcase for exposing underground genres and performers to the mainstream.
Burial, who has remained anonymous since he started recording material, was nominated on Tuesday's shortlist for his album "Untrue."
Evolved from London's garage scene in 2005, dubstep combines unsettling rhythms and heavily emphasised bass to create a sound which has steadily been gaining popularity on the nation's dancefloors.
Close second favourite according to the Ladbrokes bookmaker is Radiohead's "In Rainbows" album, which caused major waves in the industry after its "pay what you like" online release.
Arctic Monkey Alex Turner made it a hat-trick of successive nominations with his side project Last Shadow Puppets and their album "The Age of Understatement."
The rise to prominence of the solo female artist is also recognised with Adele, Estelle and 18-year-old folk singer Laura Marling all making the shortlist.
Mercury's traditional eclectism is demonstrated by the nominations of jazz perfomers Portico Quartet and folk band Rachel Unthank and the Winterset.
Led Zeppelin legend Robert Plant and country singer Alison Krauss are in the running for the award with their album "Raising Sand," as is Neon Noen's "Stanless Style," a concept album based on the life of car mogul John DeLorean.
The line - up is completed by indie band Elbow and eccentric rockers British Sea Power.
Copyright 2008  AFP Global Edition
