Mercury Prize 2015 - Slaves: “It’s the most important award.”

“Ello, ello, ello!” grins Slaves frontman Isaac Holman as he arrives on the Mercury Prize red carpet, dislocated arm in tow. “I was making my way from the crowd to the stage,” he explains, “and it popped out somewhere along the way.”

“He fell on a speaker,” clears up his partner in crime Laurie Vincent. “My arm was like a bit of dead meat, just hanging about,” Isaac continues before explaining that it’s a four week break for the pair while he’s on the mend, “I’m out of action for a while. It’s really gutting but it’s one of those things.”

That’s not stopped them from performing tonight though - in fact, they’ve roped in Wolf Alice drummer Joel Amey to take to the skins in Isaac’s stead. “He’s a good friend of ours,” explains Laurie, “it’s nice that he’s performing with us and also nominated.”

Wolf Alice are one of Slaves’ choices for the gong if they don’t win it themselves, as well as SOAK. “I love Jamie xx’s album, I think it’s amazing,” says Isaac, giving a nod to the current bookies’ favourite.

“It seems be the most pure,” he says of the Mercury Prize’s importance. “It’s about the music,” Laurie agrees, “It seems quite honest. It’s the most important award in my eyes.”

Looking forward, there’s another LP in the works already. “We don’t really work towards sounds, but there are songs that have a grime influence,” Laurie reveals, “It’s just gonna be a heavier album.”

How long will it be til we get to hear that? Not long, apparently: “It’s gonna be out in 2016,” Isaac teases.