We always felt that one of the things we loved about dance music was that freedom it gave you to be released from talking about those things. There was always a lot of interest in us talking about that part of things in the early days, but we werenвЂ™t interested.

вЂњWeвЂ™re not religious, but we're both from different religious backgrounds. вЂњItвЂ™s always been an unquantifiable topic for usвЂќ says Matt. Before this project, it was an aspect of their lives theyвЂ™d been reluctant to talk about.

But time away from home has also made the pair more reflective about the move between islands which led them here.ДЇor two natives of Belfast, any talk of islands, communities and identities will also have other, more domestic connotations. The breadth of music theyвЂ™ve been exposed to in London during this time informs вЂњIslesвЂ™вЂќ massive sonic palette both cite the joy of discovering Hindi vocals overheard from distant rooftops, snatches of Bulgarian choirs drifting from passing cars, hitting Shazam in a kebab house in the vain hopes of identifying a Turkish pop song. вЂњIslesвЂќ is, in part, a meditation on these contradictions, the struggle between the expansive and the introspective, isolation and euphoria. вЂњWe have strong mixed emotions, connected to growing up on an islandвЂќ they say, вЂњwanting to leave, wanting to returnвЂќ. Two years in the making, вЂњIslesвЂќ expands on the artful energy of their 2018 debut вЂњBicepвЂќ, while digging deeper into the sounds, experiences and emotions that have influenced their lives and work, from early days in Belfast to their move to London a decade ago.

See below for an idea of the merch, designs will be neatened up with possible minor alterations to be made.Belfast-born, London-based duo Bicep (Matt McBriar and Andy Ferguson) release their hotly anticipated second album, вЂњIslesвЂќ, on 22 January 2021 via Ninja Tune. Alternatively, you are welcome to leave a comment with your choice. ******EDIT****** Unfortunately The t-shirt selection is not allowing choice of size - anyone who pledges for the 'Samantics bundle' will be messaged by me to confirm size and colour. I've put up some other 'larger scale pledges' too, for excrement and laughter. I am not asking for handouts, everyone will get a shiny, professionally made copy of my album with 20 lucky people getting a whole bunch of awesome stuff too! I'm tempted to pledge for one myself, I want a Samantics mug! Any one who pledges for the CD will receieve it before it's officially released. If 150 people were kind enough to preorder just the album (for ВЈ10), this would cover costs. The goal is to reach ВЈ1500 which will cover the cost of making the albums, the limited prints of merchandise and the fees and VAT. I'm hoping, if pre-orders are successful, to pay for the production of 1000 albums and a limited number of merch goodybags! Some of you will know that I made every copy of my first album by hand (with the much needed assistance of Vicky, ofcourse), unfortuntely we do not have the time (or patience) to attempt that again. The new Samantics album is ready, but I've no means to mass produce it!

Pre order made in the am album