Irish dance pioneers BICEP have previewed their collaborative project ‘TAKKUUK’ which arrives this Friday (July 25th) with the single ‘Taarsitillugu’ which sees the duo combine with Greenlandic rapper Tarrak.
TAKKUUK is a new immersive installation from BICEP, visual artist Zak Norman and filmmaker Charlie Miller that explores the lives, communities and challenges facing artists Indigenous to the Arctic Region.
TAKKUUK was premiered earlier this month at Outernet London with a special immersive screening, panel discussions and performances, and will be heading out across venues and festivals across the globe over the coming year including a stint in The Ulster Museum from April–June 2026.
Created in partnership with the charity In Place of War, as part of their EarthSonic programme, the installation sees the renowned Northern Irish electronic duo — otherwise known as Andy Ferguson and Matthew McBriar — collaborating with a number of Indigenous vocalists, including Katarina Barruk, Andachan, Sebastian Enequist (from Sound of the Damned), Tarrak, NUIJA, Niilas and Silla.
The vocals were recorded in 2024 by Detroit-based producer and musician Matthew Dear in Árni Árnason from The Vaccines studio, during Iceland Airwaves festival in Reykjavík. The resulting demos, combined with additional field recordings taken by Ferguson from the Russell Glacier in Greenland, form the backbone of this unique soundtrack, which Bicep then produced and recorded in their London studio.
The initial spark for the project came when BICEP travelled to Greenland in 2023, in which they began learning about the various issues facing local artists and their communities. It then came to life over the following two years, growing to eventually incorporate a striking visual element shot by Zak Norman (who has previously worked on visuals for BICEP, Squarepusher and Africa Express) and Bristol-based filmmaker Charlie Miller (whose documentary work with In Place of War has taken him to some of the world’s most marginalised and remote communities.)
“Takkuuk (pronounced tuck-kook) is the Inuktitut word which translates to literally ‘look’ but has the connotation that you’re urging someone to look at something closely. The Arctic climate is changing rapidly, so in context of the larger project, it’s a ‘hey look at this, the adverse effects of climate change are obvious,’ but also, ‘hey look at how cool Inuit culture is’.” – Charlotte Qamaniq (AKA Silla)
“This is a global story, and we all have a role to play. Join the movement by pledging to one or more of our six climate actions, and become an EarthSonic Champion. Together, we can make meaningful steps towards a more climate-conscious future.” – Ruth Daniel, CEO In Place of War/EarthSonic. Read more at earthsonic.org/6-acts
‘TAKKUUK (Original Soundtrack)’ Tracklist:
1. Niilas & Bicep – Alit
2. Tarrak & Bicep – Taarsitillugu
3. Andachan & Bicep – Aappoq
4. NUIJA & Bicep – Qimuttoq
5. Sebastian Enequist & Bicep – Alloriaqigit
6. Silla & Bicep – Takkuuk
7. NUIJA & Bicep – Aallartilerpoq
8. Katarina Barruk & Bicep – Dárbbuo
9. NUIJA & Bicep – Nipaassuseq
10. NUIJA & Bicep – Sikorsuit
1–7 September 2025 – Wintercircus, Ghent, Belgium
4 October 2025 (Saturday) – Meraki Testa Dell’Acqua, Sicily
16 October 2025 – Blue Earth Summit, London
13–14 November 2025 – IMS Dubai
17–22 November 2025 – Linecheck, Milan, Italy
22 November 2025 – EarthSonic Live, Manchester Museum
28–29 November 2025 – Ambika P3, London
January 2026 – Glacier projection, Uummannaq, Greenland
February 2026 – Nuuk Snow Festival, Greenland
28 March 2026 (Saturday) – Earth Night, Venue TBC, NYC
April–June 2026 – Ulster Museum, Northern Ireland
6 May 2026 – Arctic Sounds Festival, Sisimiut, Greenland
13–16 May 2026 – The Great Escape, Brighton
Autumn 2026 – Immersive Visio space, Oulu, Finland