Bicep – Isles (Deluxe Edition): Where Emotion Meets the Dancefloor

When Belfast-born duo Bicep released Isles in 2021, it wasn’t just another club album—it was a sonic meditation on longing, identity, and cultural memory. Now, with the Deluxe Edition, the album feels even more expansive, diving deeper into both atmosphere and rhythm. This isn’t just music to dance to—it’s music to feel.

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A Story Told in Echoes

Isles is layered with emotion, but never dramatic. Bicep’s sound here is textured, restrained, and painfully beautiful. The tracks move like memories—some sharp, some faded—built on glitchy samples, breakbeats, and lush pads.

Take the standout track “Apricots”: it blends a chopped Malawian vocal sample with a deep, melancholic synth progression. It’s hypnotic, intimate, and strangely spiritual.

Then there’s “Saku” (feat. Clara La San)—a track that leans into UK garage nostalgia, wrapped in futuristic production. The vocal manipulation is ethereal, like hearing someone whisper across dimensions.

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A Deluxe Expansion Worth the Name

The Deluxe Edition adds remixes and alternate versions that give the original tracks a new life. Highlights include:

• Four Tet’s remix of “Apricots”, which strips the track down and rebuilds it with meditative layering.
• “Atlas (Floating Points Remix)”, which injects an experimental jazz sensibility, stretching it into a dreamy sprawl.
• A stunning live version of “Glue”, reminding us of Bicep’s power not just in the studio, but in the moment.

These additions don’t just pad the release—they extend its emotional reach.

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Production that Breathes

Bicep is known for pristine sound design, and Isles is no exception. The use of reverb, sidechain compression, and filtered percussion creates depth without overcrowding the mix. Each element has room to breathe.

Unlike many electronic records that rely on drop-heavy structures, Isles flows like a cinematic arc—full of builds, pullbacks, and soft collapses. It’s music that respects your attention.

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Club Roots, Home Listening Soul

Even though Isles was born in the club scene, it feels tailor-made for home listening. In fact, Bicep reportedly held back on peak-hour club bangers for this album, focusing instead on more personal, reflective moods.

“We wanted to make something that captures the feeling of sitting on a train or walking home alone,” Bicep said in an interview. “Something emotional, not just functional.”

And they did.

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Final Thoughts

Isles (Deluxe Edition) is a near-perfect balance of dancefloor power and inner-world storytelling. It speaks to both movement and stillness—an album for both the rave and the recovery.

In the ever-expanding landscape of modern electronica, Bicep reminds us that rhythm and emotion don’t just coexist—they thrive together.