Bicep - Isles (2LP)

Belfast-born, London-based duo Bicep spent years shaping their sound in clubs and on their much-loved blog, but Isles is the moment it all locks into place. Released on Ninja Tune on 22 January 2021, the album arrived when dance floors were quiet, which makes its pull even stronger. The tempos are purposeful, the chords are bittersweet, and the bass feels engineered for rooms you can almost see. It is a record built for memory as much as movement.

From the opening swell of Atlas, you get that slippery Bicep push and pull. The kick is patient, the synths bloom in ripples, and the melody nudges rather than shouts. Apricots is the obvious hook for new ears. It folds a Malawian vocal sample and a Bulgarian folk line into clipped percussion and a rolling low end that seems to hover. You can trace the duo’s crate-digger roots in how those voices sit, never as garnish, always as part of the engine. Saku, with Clara La San, brings a cool vocal shimmer over needlepoint drums, a highlight that shows how Bicep can carry a pop-adjacent tune without losing their club instincts. Sundial flips a classic Bollywood sample, Jab Andhera Hota Hai from the 1973 film Raja Rani, into a sun-streaked loop that lands somewhere between nostalgia and forward motion.

What makes Isles stick is the duo’s sense of space. Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar have a knack for dropping out everything but a ghost of a pad, then letting a snare fill reconnect the dots. Cazenove glides on that trick, with breakbeats stitched just loose enough to breathe. X is the heavy hitter for the heads, all pressure and grayscale synths that would rattle a warehouse rig. Then there is Fir, a patient closer that cools the album down without letting the glow fade.

They spoke around release about writing versions that would live differently on stage, which tracks when you hear how many passages feel primed for expansion. That planning paid off once shows returned, but the studio album stands on its own. It is not a playlist of bangers. It is a set with a real flow, the sort you would want to flip on a rainy Sunday or just before heading out.

Isles landed with serious momentum. It debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and topped the UK Dance Albums Chart, a rare feat for a project that leans this deep into texture and mood. The critical reception backed it up, with strong notices from The Guardian, NME and Pitchfork, and it quickly became a touchstone for people who like their electronic music detailed and emotional.

On wax, that detail comes alive. The Isles vinyl pressing carries weight in the low end without smudging the midrange where those chopped vocals and glassy pads live. Flip from Atlas to Apricots and you can feel the room tilt, the way good dance records do when you play them loud. If you are crate digging in a Melbourne record store or browsing vinyl records Australia late at night, this is the Bicep vinyl you grab first. Among Bicep albums on vinyl, it is the one that tells their story cleanly, from blog-era nerds to festival headliners, and still leaves room for the little headphone moments.

Standouts will vary, which is part of the appeal. Some listeners swear by Saku as the album’s emotional peak. Others keep coming back to the precision of Atlas or the sunrise lift of Sundial. Apricots has become a fan favourite for good reason, and it still feels fresh. The sequencing gives each cut a lane, so repeat plays reveal tiny decisions in the percussion or a background arpeggio you did not notice the first time.

If you are looking to buy Bicep records online, Isles is an easy recommendation. It works in a lounge, in a car, and on a big system, which is rarer than people admit. The record also acts as a map of their taste, joining UK club lineage with global voices in a way that feels respectful and curious. Call it a modern classic if you like. I just call it a cracking album that still gives me goosebumps when Fir fades and the needle lifts.