The Cope: “Oiche /Back on My Bullsh*t” Review: A grand-scale audio-visual opus

For today’s talking point, comes something a little bit different.

Introducing Ireland’s most-hyped duo to take to international waters… this is The Cope.

The audio-visual pairing of The Cope have just one end-goal on this rock we call Earth – to make people dance. Ever since crafting their indie-electric sound since meeting at an impromptu karaoke party in late 2019, they have harnessed not only the music as a premise but ultimately, a 360 audio-visual experience. Connecting a sonic weight to the visual realm, it has brought new strengths to what we once knew as electronic music and it’s often personal nature amongst the blaring buzz and high thrills.

Nurturing up greats like True Romance and I Am Stretched On Your Grave are no easy feats. A doom-room of “mood music”, it’s no wonder the Irish pairing already have an established career in the music sphere circling us listeners in cotton wool, making us feel quite contempt within their lush electronica sounds.

Now, beckoning for a further grasp to the music, both David and Joe have come together as The Cope as visual-artists with Oiche / Back on My Bullshit. Two fairly respectable singles on their own – Oiche, a beautifully sonic template mirrored by the extent of M83 and Back on my Bullshit, a daring pop track easily backed by Australian duo – and future comrades – Confidence Man.

But brought together with visual reference? This is where context is important and rife in such a music genre.

Now, a little bit about it all. Oiche / Back on My Bullshit is a celebration of dichotomy and diversity. Personally directed by David from The Cope, the music video showcases the unfiltered talent of James Vu Anh Pham, recognised as one of the best contemporary dancers in the world and winner of the National Dance Awards UK – Outstanding Male Modern Performance 2022, an outstanding feat onto itself. Gallant in movement, Pham leads us through the stunning backdrop that is the Royal Museum of Fine Arts based in Antwerp, before seemingly falling in exhaustion. Not too long, he’s carried into the transitioning Back on My Bullshit, a wiry white backdrop as is drawn into a blossoming collective of fellow dance performers. Leading the fray are The Cope taking centre stage on DJ decking, as a highly emotive and energy-inducing grand-scale 10-minute short is played out.

And so, from the seedy underling of solemn Oiche under a dark sky, (translated to Night from Irish) to the frantic flash of raucous party energy with Back on My Bullshit – comes a story compelling in every way…