Young Fathers, Erased Tapes and Ninja Tune were also recognised.
The winners have been announced for the annual AIM Independent Music Awards recognising independent talent, with Skepta, Swans, FKA twigs, Young Fathers and UK rock survivors Enter Shikari among those receiving awards at the ceremony on September 8.
FKA twigs’ ‘Two Weeks’ received the award for best independent track of the year, whiler Young Fathers received the accolade for best difficult second album. Wolf Alice received indie breakthrough act of the year, while Enter Shikari had the independent album of the year for The Mindsweep.
Elsewhere Erased Tapes picked up the award for best small label, Swans were deservedly given the award for hardest working band, Skepta was recognised for his outstanding contribution to music and Ninja Tune picked up the innovator award.
You can see the full list of winners below, as well as Swans’ acceptance video for their award, featuring Michael Gira in a rather unsettling mask.
Best Small Label (in association with Disc Manufacturing Services): Erased Tape Records
Best Difficult Second Album (in association with XFM): Young Fathers – White Men Are Black Men Too
Special Catalogue Release of the Year (in association with Amazon Music): Cities of Darkscorch Boardgame
Hardest Working Band or Artist: Swans
Golden Welly Award for Best Independent Festival (in association with AIF, voted for by readers of DIY): Brainchild Festival
Independent Breakthrough of the Year: Wolf Alice
Indie Champion (in association with CI): Marc Riley, BBC 6 Music
Independent Video of the Year (in association with Vevo): Flying Lotus – Never Catch Me
Best Live Act (in association with Jack Daniel’s, voted for by visitors to Songkick): All Time Low
Independent Track of the Year (in association with Spotify): FKA Twigs – Two Weeks
PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Act: Jungle
Independent Album of the Year (in association with dotFans): Enter Shikari – The Mindsweep
Independent Label of the Year (in association with Believe Digital): Transgressive Records
Pioneer Award (in association with The Orchard): Digby Pearson, Earache Records
Innovator Award (in association with Promostream): Peter Quicke, Matt Black and Jonathan More of Ninja Tune
Outstanding Contribution to Music (in association with Merlin): Skepta
